7 Basic Social-Media Tips to Set Your Marketing RightHere's how to take your social-media marketing to the next level.

When it comes to marketing your brand online, if you're not on social media -- and doing it right -- you're missing a huge opportunity. That said, busy entrepreneurs and other professionals often have a difficult time navigating the quickly growing world of social media.

Fortunately, we're here to your rescue. Here are some helpful tips to get you off on the right foot.

1. Know thy social platform.

Just as there are recipes for favorite foods, there are formulas for effective posts, tweets and #latergrams -- depending on the social site. Having the right mix of pictures, questions or quotes can make the difference between a post going viral or going into the void.
Read more:27 Formulas That Can Drive Clicks and Engagement on Social Media

2. Be yourself.

Business is, ultimately, all about connections -- and not just the professional networking kind. If you want your message to resonate with customers, give them something relatable and human to connect to. With everything being automated, it might not come so easily, but it's well worth the effort.
Read more:Why Being Human on Social Media Is the Best Strategy You'll Ever Have

3. Watch out for common mistakes.

Before you can capitalize on what's going right, understand what you're doing wrong. Thankfully, there's a handy list of common mistakes for you to familiarize yourself with and avoid like the plague.
Read more:The 5 Big Reasons People Aren't Following Your Social-Media Accounts

4. Use the tools of the trade.

Believe it or not (and why not, really?), there is technology out there to help you make the most of tools you're already using. From Tweetdeck to PinAlert, there are tools to help you optimize each specific network. After all, what works for LinkedIn doesn't work as well on Pintrest. These are the tools you need in your social media toolbelt.
Read more:18 Effective Social-Media Tools That Will Save You Time

5. Embrace new networks.

At the beginning, the next big thing is just some new thing that nobody's paying much attention to. Myspace was king of social networks before some new site named The Facebook came on the scene, for example. There are benefits to being an early adopter of new networks, whether that's Google+ or some other yet-unnamed platform, because you never know which one will take off. Get in on the ground floor of a new social network when you can.
Read more:How (and Why) to Take Advantage of Being First on New Social-Media Platforms

6. Be open to change.

The New Year is almost upon us, and that means new strategies where social media is concerned. Sure, it's different from what you're comfortable with right now, but it might also be more effective.
Read more:6 Changes Your 2015 SEO Strategy Must Focus On

7. Consider other avenues, too.

Social media is a great way to create awareness and customer outreach. Still, it is not theonlyway to put your business out there. An investor would tell you to diversify your portfolio. This is also accurate advice in regards to your marketing strategy.
Read more:3 Reasons Why Relying on Social-Media Marketing Is a Losing Strategy