“Be extremely passionate about what you do”-Pauline Cabrera, TwelveSkip.com
Social media marketing is not something you can do as a hobby. Like a player short on chips at the final table of the World Series of Poker, you need to go all in to achieve social media marketing success.
Once considered a passing fad, social media marketing has emerged as an effective strategy for attracting customer prospects. In 2017, social media marketing spending is expected to surpass $35 billion. This means companies must implement well-thought out social media marketing programs.
Overview of Social Media
Social media marketing involves gaining foot or online traffic through social media sites. Your primary objective for using social media to promote your brand is to build relationships with online visitors. Social media sites offer more opportunities for real time interactions. For example, you can have a conversation with a customer prospect in real time by using Twitter.
One important thing for you to remember is a social media site visitor wants frequent updates. You can post daily updates about the imminent release of a product or upload images of new products weekly. If you plan to take a vacation, let your social media visitors know and encourage them to post when and where they plan to take some time off.
More than Just a Pocketbook
Kristoffer Holves of WealMedia.com recently summarized why a growing number of consumers connect with brands online via social media sites. “Consumers want to connect with brands and feel like they really are friends. This means making an intimate connection that is built upon mutual interests, values and experiences.”
Your customer prospects do not want bland sales pitches or hard sell tactics. They want your recommendations for products, but more important, they want to trust you enough to do business with your company. Social media sites allow you to create the level of trust required to attract loyal customers. From lighthearted posts to funny images, your customers visit social media sites to form relationships.
How to Get Started
Our team answers many social media questions, but one question leads the list.
How do I get started with social media marketing?
You want to grow your presence via social media slowly by focusing on one site at a time. Here is a solid list of social media sites to target for your company in the order in which you should create a presence.
- Google+
- YouTube
- Snapchat
Pay special attention to LinkedIn. The professional networking website has transformed into a content driven social media site that professionals use to promote brands and companies. As with any social media site, you must present tips, advice, and resources to build and maintain a devoted following of your professional peers.
A Few Social Media Marketing Tips
Social media marketing does not involve a one-size-fits-all approach to attracting loyal followers. However, your priority should be to create content that helps your social media site solve problems and answer questions.
After all content is still king.
Here are several tips you can implement that increase the likelihood of your company becoming a social media sensation.
- Create video content
- Social media market to mobile devices
- Analyze social media visitor data
- Use infographics
- Test new ideas on Twitter
- Focus your marketing efforts
- Advertise on Facebook
- Conduct business to business marketing on LinkedIn
Social media marketing has emerged as one of the most effective digital marketing strategies your company can use to establish a strong online presence. Contact our team of digital marketing and web development experts to help your company develop a social media marketing program that attracts loyal customers and increases sales.
