Social media has changed the face of marketing forever. As a free channel for getting your business’s name in front of your target audience, it seems to be an advertising gold mine. But social media is what you make of it. It can either be the reputation-building secret you’ve been seeking, or just another thing you have to monitor online.

Here are three ways you can leverage the power of social media for your business:

Be Interesting, Not Salesy
With more than 95 percent of small businesses posting to Facebook (among other social media sites), it’s easy for consumers to get bombarded with messages. In order to really make a difference, you have to stand out from the crowd – especially your competition. Take the following into consideration:

• Don’t use social media to push sales.
  While it’s perfectly okay to occasionally mention a special or offer coupons for your services, those should not be the main messages people receive from you online. Too many self-serving messages will annoy your fans and actually backfire, getting you the opposite result that you want.
• Post interesting, relevant content.
  This is where it’s important to know your audience. Take the time to figure out what’s trending with your target audience, and get in on the conversation. Something as simple as sharing a post from a well-respected source can give you credibility in the eyes of consumers.

Be present through all your social media channels.
While too many posts can overwhelm your audience and possibly cause them to block you, spending too little time on your social media sites won’t get you anywhere, either. Digital marketing professional Jason Falls suggests creating enough content for one to two Facebook posts and a few tweets each day. But be sure to space your messages out and vary the content, so that you don’t come off as spamy. Finally, stay consistent with your posting pattern in order to maintain the momentum you’ve built.

Build relationships through two-way communication.
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make with social media is creating one-sided conversations. Simply sharing a post and then forgetting about it won’t get the results you crave. Create content that intrigues readers and invites feedback, then respond to any feedback you receive. Stay positive and keep the conversation going.

Being an active presence on social media will grow your business much more than traditional advertising in today’s market. Consumers prefer to interact with businesses in a setting in which they’re comfortable. By creating valuable content, posting consistently, and engaging users in conversation, you’ll be well on your way.