Suniya Imran, Author at ApprenticeTips.com

Millions of businesses around the world are using Social Media now more than ever to reach their target audiences, to connect with their customers and to promote their products/services. We can understand why, because in today’s time, Social Media is constantly evolving and is a massive part of our consumer’s lives. Therefore, a good online presence on Social Networks can quickly help businesses reach the maximum number of users possible whilst also open up different advertising opportunities.

There are thousands of platforms, each with different features and rules, but there are some basic tips and guidelines you can follow to develop a good use of social media in your digital marketing strategy. Even if you aren’t a business owner, if you have a passion for social media and are keen to understand and grow your knowledge of it, this will be a useful read to help you knuckle down on the basics.

We’ve rounded up a list of key do’s and don’ts when using social media as part of your digital marketing strategy and explained why they are important.

1. DO identify your brand voice:

Understanding how you want your brand to be perceived online is important and is determined by how formal or informal you want your online presence to be. This will largely depend on your target audience and what kind of language or tone they would expect. For instance, if you manage social media for a makeup brand which mainly aims to market their products towards younger demographics, then you may decide to use more informal language, fun emoticons and take part in viral trends. However, if you’re managing social media for engineering firm, you may decide to have more educational content and a more professional tone within your content.

2. DON’T use the same content across all social media networks:

Consistent branding and tone of voice across all social media networks is important. However, recycling the same content and using it across all of your brand’s social networks is bad practice. This is because each social media platform is different and as such will have different set of guidelines which are considered ‘best practice’. We suggest using original content and messaging for each platform but keeping a consistent theme throughout. For example, if you are promoting ‘50% off all Beauty lines’ then it could be a good idea to have different product images on your Instagram and Facebook with a slightly different caption.

3. DO capitalise on trends:

The best part about social media is that there is almost always a viral trend or conversation which could be relevant for your brand to join in on. It is important for all businesses to pay attention to trending content which appeals to the audience they’re trying to reach and to take part in it, if possible. Captalising on these trends is key and can help push your content to even more users than usual and prompt them to engage with it.

A good example of a brand capitalising on trends is the popular beauty brand – Fenty Beauty. As a makeup brand, the main aim of their social media strategy is to convince customers to purchase and try their products. A popular type of content on TikTok is tutorials. Fenty Beauty utilise TikTok to post makeup tutorials showcase new products and how they apply and wear throughout the day. This has proven to be an effective content strategy for the brand as they tend to see high levels of engagement and build up a lot of positivity around their products.

4. DON’T use poor spelling and grammar within your content:

Human error is normal. However, it is important to take precautions to avoid your brand putting out content or copy with grammar mistakes and spelling errors because it reduces your credibility and looks unprofessional. To avoid this, it is a good idea to create your social media updates offline first in a document or spreadsheet. That way, you are able to proofread them before posting online for your followers to see. There are numerous tools which could be helpful in automating this process and add that extra layer of protection. For example, Grammarly is a great content marketing tool because it also proofreads your copy but also allows you to set your writing goals based on the type of writing you do, making it a useful tool for copy.

5. DO set objectives:

Going viral on Instagram and TikTok is great for your brand. However, it is important you set out some key short term and long term objectives to understand what your business wants to achieve from your social media strategy. It is good to think ahead and be aware of what you want to do with the engagement you see from your followers.

For example, in terms of potential short term objectives for a clothing brand, you could be having a flash sale and as such, would want to focus on using social media to boost sales. In terms of longer term objectives, as part of your digital marketing strategy you may want to use social media to build up awareness and establish yourself as a credible brand with an engaging online presence.

6. DON’T excessively use Hashtags:

A common misconception about social media platforms, in particular Instagram, is that using a #hastag with each sentence will push your content out more. This could not be further from the truth. Excessive use of #Hashtags is one of the most unprofessional and irritating practices and its worth avoiding. Using appropriate hashtags connects your post to related posts but it should be used, within reason, for this purpose only. Instagram’s algorithm has changed over the years and posts with too many hashtags actually seem to be less favoured by the platform and by audiences.

This is where understanding each platform and what works is important. Research how many hashtags are appropriate to include in posts on different social media platforms and use this information to influence your decision. Opting for less but niche hashtags instead of several generic ones is that it will be more likely to help you reach your desired audience and will result in more exposure.

Conclusion:

To conclude, we hope this gave you some insight into 6 do’s and don’ts when using social media in digital marketing. Incorporating social media into your digital marketing strategy is key for a successful online presence and will help you boost this in a productive and effective way.

Pursuing a Digital Marketing Level 3 Apprenticeship would introduce you to the basics of using Social Media as part of a digital marketing strategy and also help you kick-start your career within the industry that is constantly growing.

More information on this apprenticeship can be found here. Alternatively, check out our range of useful articles and blog posts here to find a suitable Digital apprenticeship for you.

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Farrier Level 3 Apprenticeship

Farrier Level 3 Apprenticeship

Do you have a passion for working with horses and caring for their well-being? If so, a level 3 Farrier apprenticeship could be a good option for you and open up the possibility of a new career path. Read on to find out more.

Summary of the standard:

As part of their holistic approach to the equine, farriers are in charge of maintaining and caring for the feet of the animals. To do this, they must have a deep understanding of all facets of equine hoof care across all equine disciplines, from basic pleasure horses to top-level competition horses. Farriers can evaluate the gait of horses (movement). Farriers must be capable of speaking with owners and other experts, notably veterinarians, about the state of horses and their hooves. They are also accountable for the quality and correctness of their work. The alternatives for equine wellbeing that farriers can advise on range from basic corrective work on lame horses to trimming a horse while it is in the pasture. The practice of Farriery is thoroughly regulated, and all farriers must pass the Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (DipWCF) exam in order to be listed on the Register of Qualified Farriers and engage in legal business. Once certified, you have a choice to operate independently or join a Farriery practice to work in a team.

Entry requirements:

To complete this standard, there are some requirements that must be met which have been listed below. It is important to be aware that employers may set out their own specific requirements alongside these.

Minimum of 5 GCSE’s at Grace C or above, including English, Maths and one Science.
Apprentices without English and Maths Level 2 will be required to complete this before taking the end point assessment on (EPA).

Duration:

This apprenticeship typically takes 48 months to complete because it gives apprentices enough time to develop the necessary skills and knowledge needed to achieve the Worshipful Company of Farriers Diploma qualification (DipWCF). This qualification is important as it is the minimum standard needed to be completed to ensure apprentices understand the duty of care they have as a farrier to meet equine welfare standards as required under the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975.

What you will do:

Farrier cutting away extra hoof growth – Image Credit: Planit Plus

As a farrier, your responsibilities could be slightly different depending on your employer but generally, you will be responsible for the below:

Check horse’s legs, feet and hooves for any issues
Liaise with horse owners about what work is required from you to best assist them
Cut away any extra hoof growth and make sure the horse is comfortable and balanced
Choose appropriate shoes for horses based on their size, foot condition and types of activity they are involved in
Make horseshoes by hand or using an appropriate machine
Shape shoes using a hammer and anvil and then fit them onto the horses

Skills and knowledge you will need:

As part of this apprenticeship, you will develop new skills and knowledge which will be key to your success as a Farrier however, we have listed below some you will already need to hold to complete this apprenticeship.

Attention to detail
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work independently
Ability to work well on your feet and with your hands
Customer service skills
Thinking and reasoning skills
Ability to operate and control equipment whilst adhering to rules / best practice
Ability to work well and remain calm under pressure
Basic computer literacy
Adherence to legal and ethical frameworks

Professional Qualifications

This standard is acknowledged by the Farriers Registration Council (FRC), which registers and regulates all qualified farriers, including ATFs. It is also recognised by the Worshipful Company of Farriers, which is in charge of farriery standards of competence in the industry under the Farriers (Registration) Act of 1975. The Farriers (Registration) Act of 1975’s mandated examination for registration called the Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (DipWCF), must be passed by apprentices to finish their apprenticeship. The apprentice will be able to use the post-nominal DipWCF and may submit an application for registration with the FRC after successfully receiving the DipWCF qualification.

Conclusion:

Overall, the level 3 Farrier apprenticeship is a great starting point for anyone looking to pursue a career with horses. The skills you will pick up through this standard will set you up well to be able to take higher level qualifications, for example a Diploma in Higher Education or a degree in Farriery. You may be able to work with larger stables, horse breeders, vets or even equine hospitals. There is even a possibility for you to become self-employed in the future after picking up these skills and freelancing. There are endless opportunities which can be opened up after this apprenticeship which makes it an ideal standard for anyone with a passion to work with horses.

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