It's true that social media continues to be an asset to marketers every day. Current trends project social media to be viable for marketers for an indefinite period of time. Let's face the facts, social media isn't going anywhere, and if you're not utilizing social, you are not maximizing your potential gain. It's time to get on board and start creating effective marketing campaigns.
All Aboard the Pain Train
Okay, I'm totally kidding. Social marketing, while a bit of a hassle sometimes, is far from painful. As long as you're doing it right, that is. Sometimes it can feel like the most aggravating thing on earth, especially if you don't understand what's going on, or why the social algorithms have changed. You may feel like you're drowning in all sorts of useless data, or like you're wasting your time and efforts. The truth is, if you utilize these six tips, social media marketing will begin to show you what it's worth. Just stick with it, you can do anything you set your mind to.
Effective Social Media Marketing
1. Research, Research, Research
If you are shooting for that coveted social media following on your brand page you really need to analyze trends. What memes are popular right now? Are different things going on in the lives of your targeted age group? Are the social platforms changing this week and what do you need to do to get back on track? You need to continually be asking questions and seeking out the truth. Proactivity is the best activity in regards to social marketing. Keep an eye on Zuckerberg and the Facebook corporation, and figure out what is going to happen before it happens.
2. Utilize Forums and Groups
If you've made good, quality buyer personas, you know exactly who you're trying to connect with on social media. If you're also doing your social research, you'll know where these people are hanging out. It may be Reddit or Pinterest or just plain old Facebook groups, but utilizing these forums and groups will allow you to connect where you're welcome. Organic reach for company Facebook pages is on the decline, so many businesses are creating their own Facebook groups. This is excellent because it encourages people to participate and communicate with you and your brand.
3. Market Across All Platforms and Make Meaningful Connections
Don't get me wrong, you absolutely don't have to be everywhere at once. If your ideal buyers hang out on Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr, you probably won't need to worry about spreading yourself on LinkedIn, for example. However, it never hurts. You can always start on Facebook and ask for the Twitter followers there. From there you can turn your Twitter followers into LinkedIn connections and eventually contacts. On average, 30% of all website visits come from social media. You can be wherever you want to be. Marketing across all platforms also gives you the opportunity to connect with people who share similar ideas and encourage them to interact with each other too. This will allow you to always talk about what you know, and what your followers want to hear.
4. Post Longer Messages. More IS More!
Twitter isn't getting rid of it's 140 character limit any time soon, but you still have the chance to say more on other platforms. Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and many others are made for sharing longer pieces of meaningful content. If you've connected with the right people on your social platforms, you'll be able to give them longer posts, and they will still enjoy it. Social media marketing ties into content marketing in many different ways. The more you say, the more you know.
5. Format Your Tweets
Twitter may have that pesky 140 character limit, but if you think about it, it's one of the best platforms we have for getting short bits of information out rapidly. The problem is, everyone else tweets too, meaning that sometimes tweets get lost in the never ending Twitter feed. The best way to combat this and really stand out is to format all of your tweets. Maybe you use special spaces, links, or images. Perhaps you get personal and use emojis like there's no tomorrow. Either way, being different on Twitter is a must.
6. Stick to Your Guns
Don't get discouraged. Many social media campaigns are abandoned between 30 and 45 days, due largely to the fact that it can be time consuming and take a while to see proven ROI. Also, stand behind your actions. If someone is a non-progressive customer, get rid of them. Such actions can actually bounce back in terms of massive support from social-media users and can actually bring in many new paying clients. Overall, you're the boss of your brand's representation. You have the power.
As a top marketing firm based in Colorado Springs for more than 20 years, we know a thing or two about tackling the social beast, and we would be honored to help get your business back on the right track with social media.
