One step at a time

 Don’t overload yourself with social media, said David Reed, a senior internet marketing consultant. Reed, who works for Surefire Social, talked about the best ways to set up a social media campaign during a presentation at the 2015 Irrigation Show in Long Beach, California.

To start off, Reed recommended choosing two or three platforms and setting up rules and parameters for where and how often you want to post. Then, post at least twice a week per platform.

Determine what you want to accomplish on social media whether it’s building brand awareness or generating leads or engaging customers. “Like with anything, you want to have a business plan,” he said.

If you’re going to post twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons between 2 and 4 p.m. are the best times to engage with customers, he said.

And if you’re going to use Facebook, note that only 15 to 20 percent of people who like your page will see your post, but engagement with your followers will help boost those numbers, Reed said.

Facebook advertising can also increase your views. “If you haven’t already tried it, I encourage you to,” he said, noting that ad prices will probably increase soon. “But you want to make hay while the sun shines.”

To check your performance, which you should do at least once a month, use Google Analytics. “You should expect a 1 to 3 percent conversion to leads,” Reed said, meaning people who have clicked through to your website.

While Facebook might be good for residential accounts, LinkedIn is best for commercial business, Reed said.

But generally speaking, Houzz is the second most important platform to use, after Facebook, according to Reed. “I really think it’s an underutilized tool,” he said. According to Reed, Houzz has the demographic landscapers want to go after.

To make the most of Houzz, make sure that your photos are the highest quality you can get. Reed recommends investing in a good camera, and checking the angle and lighting.