Not too long ago, most company execs considered social media to be a secondary concern when planning their marketing strategies. Nowadays, it’s an absolutely essential aspect of any effective marketing strategy, both on and offline.
Even proponents of traditional marketing admit that social has completely upended the advertising world, with stunning results. But, outdated outbound marketing strategies no longer hold water because they require a one-way communication method.
The great thing about social media is that they allow businesses to interact directly with customers. It facilitates understanding through Q and As, content reposts, and other forms of relationship building. Although this sounds simple enough, it’s not easy to come up with a social media marketing strategy.
That’s why we decided to create this guide with the best expert-proven tips on how to promote your business successfully on social.
One of the first things you’ll notice as you start advertising on social media is that social tools are easy to use.
It’s advisable to start with organic posts before you start investing in ads to get a feel of how it works. However, this doesn’t mean that you should throw yourself at it with hopeless abandon. You must come up with a solid strategy which you will obviously adapt over time to improve your success.
It’s important to have a clear goal so that you know what you want to achieve. That way, you can analyze your performance as you go along.
Drafting a social media plan before you commence marketing on different platforms is like writing a business plan for your business. You may not stick to it 100% of the time, but it serves as a guiding light that makes it easier to reach your goals.
This can be in the form of having a social media content calendar.
Another reason why promoting your business on social media is such a good idea is because it allows you to target your audience at a granular level.
But, to be successful at that, you need to know who you’re talking to in the first place.
Do some research on your existing customers and use social media analytics to figure out what they like, where they live, and how best to communicate with them and at what time, etc.
Another often overlooked aspect of social media marketing is the fact that it enables you to build customer loyalty like never before. It’s a great testing ground for new product launches and ideas and you can even build lasting relationships with future customers before you even launch.
Research shows that more than 40% of customers consult social media when looking to find new products and or brands, and they use this research to find out more about the brand itself – its values, goals, and mission so that they know that they’re aligned with theirs.
That’s why you should always engage with your audience in order to build trust and loyalty. After all, the more you build engagement and trust, the more willing people are to share your content and increase your level of exposure, practically for free. This will also do wonders for your sales in the long run.
With all the different social media marketing methods available at your disposal today, the whole process can be overwhelming at times.
We’re here to tell you that you don’t have to do it all at once. The most important thing when it comes to social media content is quality not quantity. You want to stick to a few effective channels that make it easier to reach your target audience.
Value should be top of mind when creating content and avoid selling something with each post. The key is to focus on building relationships and sparking engagement as a way to create social proof. Most important, be human, transparent and quality focused.
Video content is the most in-demand it’s ever been and charts show that it confers more engagement than images and text in most cases. The Intro Maker from OFFEO makes it easier than ever to create brand-centric video introductions – for free. Simply upload your logo into our user-friendly video editor, and your stunning looking intro video will be animated out within minutes!
Social media is an essential part of the marketing strategy for any small business owner. We hope the tips outlined here will help you to use social media effectively to ensure the success of your business.
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