Relatively speaking, social media marketing is still a new business strategy, especially when you put it into a historical timeline and realize what a short period of time it takes up on that timeline. While it is true that there is not a magic formula to attain success, having a strong social media presence can tap into potential customers’ interests and lead you down that path toward that success. And, if it’s done correctly, marketing on social media platforms can increase brand awareness by leaps and bounds.
First Step: Social Media Objectives
Trying to launch a social media campaign without a marketing strategy is like wandering through the forest without a compass. You think you are going in the right direction, but when you look around, you have no idea where you are. You must establish your goals first to implement a successful social media marketing strategy.
Creating a social marketing plan starts with brainstorming. What do you hope to achieve? Who is your target audience? Which platform would these people most likely to spend their time? What message are you trying to convey?
Using social media for marketing can help you reach your goals in a number of ways. Some example objectives may include:
- Raise brand awareness.
- Drive traffic to your website.
- Create your brand’s identity and establish positive brand association.
- Communicate and engage with your target audience.
Second Step: Build a Team to Back Your Efforts
There are two ways to do this. If you have the financial resources, you can build a team and pay them. The team would help you to accomplish those things listed in the “Top Tips” section, below, and you would work together like a well-oiled machine. Don’t forget to pull together all of the necessary tools, like the private instant messaging and the email accounts and file sharing, to ensure that you are able to work together seamlessly, as a team.
The other option, if financial excess is not readily accessible, there is the option of collaboration and working with other groups, even other brands, to help get their message out in social media, while they return the favor. It is a little more complicated to handle and definitely takes more time, but there is the money savings. Or, I should say, that is true if the time does not take so much that now there is a money loss. There is always that delicate balance between the two.
Top Tips for Social Media Marketing
Strategic Planning: As mentioned above, the only way to build a strong social media presence is through planning. Research keywords and brainstorm content ideas that will captivate your target audience. As a part of this strategic planning, you will also want to plan out what will be included in your brand kit, which is used in the “Brand Image” (below).
Content Reigns Supreme: In line with all the other areas of digital marketing, content is king. Offer interesting and useful information that your audience wants to read. In addition to creating killer content, implement videos, images, and infographics into your social media strategy. Although the written word is divine, as humans, we also need visual stimulation.
Brand Image: Social media is an invaluable tool for projecting your brand’s image across many different platforms at one time. And although each social media platform has its unique voice, your brand’s core identity should always remain consistent.
Blog: Many well-known influencers of today started their careers by blogging. They wrote about things that interested them and gained popularity. Whether you’re an individual or an enterprise, a blog helps you to gain exposure and build brand awareness.
Sharing Links: Using social media for marketing purposes relies heavily on businesses sharing their original content, but it’s also important to link to outside sources as well. Linking to outside sources increases your credibility in the eyes of your target audience.
Final Thoughts
Online marketing is all about keeping the conversation going. Interacting with followers and potential customers will bring about brand awareness. Engaging with your target audience gives them a chance to get involved, which will ultimately drive more traffic to your website and increase conversions down the road.
