A deft social media strategy is increasingly crucial for businesses of all types, but mounting an effective approach can take a bit forethought and sophistication.

Like many small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), managed services providers (MSPs) too often build pages on social media sites, then fail to follow up with the content and engagement required to turn that into a true presence.

“You’ve got to remember that social media isn’t marketing, it’s a platform for marketing,” said channel marketing expert Stuart Crawford, writing in a post for MSPmentor.

“You’ve got to do more than just go on social media sites,” he continued. “You need to know how to use them properly to drive attention towards your business and create demand for your products and services.”

That social relationship starts by connecting with customers or prospective customers and turning them into social media friends and followers.

A recent blog from the Microsoft Office 365 Team cites research showing that more than half of Americans who socially follow companies are also more loyal to those brands.

That same post warned against a strategy that relies on spamming “strangers with long-winded reasons to accept your friendship,” and offered some thoughts for any business seeking to beef up its social media presence.