I think we can all agree that in 2020 the world changed. Not only the world, but how we do business in the world.
Marketers are continually looking for innovative, more efficient, cost effective and profitable ways to tap into audiences and grab their attention at every available moment.
There is a huge push to work smarter not harder and it requires a different thinking to achieve a different result.
Enter Social Media Marketing.
Perhaps you are new to this concept? Yes, there is a lot to it – but it doesn’t have to be a digital nightmare.
Social media marketing is simply business activity on a social media platform. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach and depending on what your objective is e.g. brand awareness, increasing web traffic, more sales etc. will depend on which strategy is best for you.
There are numerous platforms to choose from and the best one is the one that your clients and potential new ones, are most likely to be found on.
Different platforms require different content and will produce different results for specific business objectives.
For example, an article on LinkedIn may be more effective for you to drive business than a video on Facebook. You can use multiple channels for a variety of results, but there is one common thread to all campaigns.
Your content must be tailored to your platform, relevant to your audience and consistent.
Just getting started with social media marketing?
- Set your objectives – what are you trying to achieve?
- Identify your audience – where do they hang out?
- Plan your content – what type and how often, will best achieve your desired outcome?
Use a calendar to monitor frequency and consistency and consider a social media management platform. This will keep you well organised and save you hours.
Platforms like Hootsuite or Buffer allow you to post across different channels and access analytics.
Now that you have a plan there are several tools and strategies that will help your products and offerings ‘pop’ to your audience!
Consider the following:
Advanced social ads such as on FB, Instagram, or Snapchat, offer a personalised experience. They allow you to focus on building meaningful long-term connections with your target audience as opposed to ‘anybody and everybody’.
Influencers, often stereotyped as only chasing ‘likes’ and brand deals for personal gain, can play a valuable role in your marketing. Identify whether a given influencer can add value to your brand and if their audience is meaningful to your brand and vice versa.
Video content on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and the hugely popular TikTok is becoming more appealing. The tagline ‘don’t make ad’s, make tiktoks’ has lured many big players such as Nike, Skittles, Pepsi and Universal Pictures. Both long and short-form video are among the most shared content on social media.
Interactive stories use technology, media, and interactive features to humanise a brand. Instead of watching or listening passively the audience actively participates. Examples include live streams, polls, and contests.
Customer centric content should be how we all market anyway! Encourage user-generated content to strengthen your credibility. Value is added and trust is developed by customers sharing their positive experiences with your product or service by simply adding a brand hashtag.
Cross promotion by partnering with a business online that has complementary products can double your efforts instantly. It is mutually beneficial and markets to an audience that is already in buying mode.
Find out more about how you can reap the benefits of social media marketing.
