Out-of-the-Box Ways to Optimize Social Media Marketing
As a marketer, it can be tempting to focus solely on awareness. And indeed, conversions will not occur frequently if there is not increasing awareness among your target audience. Similarly, we know that creating intuitive experiences for customers is vital; one of the primary things that set brands apart from the competition.
But beyond that, brands need to provide engaging, enjoyable experiences for their customers. It’s one thing for a customer to decide that an experience was easy and hassle-free, and another thing altogether for them to want to continue experiencing that previous interaction with a brand.
Use Social Media to Demonstrate the Emotional Appeal of Your Product
A marketer who is invested in doing their job well will be utilizing major social media platforms. This practice is invaluable given the nature of free data, the immediate connection to followers, and ease of use for marketers. Marketers across the board recognize this.
According to HubSpot, 80 percent of marketers claim social media marketing increased their website engagement, and 92 percent reported it was an important component of their overall marketing strategy. Marketers should search for ingenious ways to create engagement.
For example, in healthcare, marketers of health-related wearables and mobile apps have begun creating more engaged consumers and, of course, patients. This is not only because their products make tracking easier, but because they create a quality of engagement where before, there was none.
They’re giving their target audience the chance to arrive at the doctor’s office not as a passive bystander, but as an active participant in their own health and wellness.
A Research Now Group, Inc. survey reported 96 percent of health app users believe that the app improves their quality of life, and 86 percent of healthcare providers believe that apps and trackers allow them to better understand their patient’s conditions.
That kind of data is what the marketers of wearables and healthcare related apps are capitalizing on their social media platforms. Marketers in every industry would do well to shape their brand image into one that conveys wellness, even if not in the most traditional sense.
Market Your Product to Encourage Good Citizenship
Building relationships mean creating connections with customers. Those connections are the bread and butter of every successful marketing campaign. Relationship-driven marketing is being hailed for its ability to produce connections in customers.
“The word emotion speaks to that rarified place where few brands and advertisers reside. For just as in any relationship in life, touching on human emotions, preferably the positive emotions, is the key to any happy, healthy and long-term relationship.” — Forbes
Producers of healthcare-related wearables and apps have an in because they’re providing a service with a clear connection to something that impacts a consumer’s emotional well-being. You may not be able to offer a product with the same level of explicit connection to one’s emotional well-being, but you can do some of the legwork for consumers.
Consider how your product, as is, can be utilized by consumers in ways that will form positive emotional responses. Demonstrate how your company can be a tool to make their lives better.
The Product. If your product has a secondary usage that you can shed a positive light on it, do it! A company that makes reusable bags isn’t going to try to convince consumers that they need bags; they’re going to articulate why their bags, specifically, are worth investing in. They’re going to demonstrate why reusable bags are a worthwhile investment to make on behalf of the planet.
The Byproduct. Perhaps you’re creating something that just can’t be marketed with a connection to a really clear beneficial byproduct. Or perhaps your company offers services instead of material products; even in those cases, you can create emotional connections for customers. Make it obvious on social media how your company utilizes assets to give back, to make a difference, to do better.
Demonstrate to customers how your product will enhance their lives and your marketing results will increase exponentially. Consumers are looking for reasons to distinguish one similar product from another, help them see why yours is a standout.
Take a Hint from the Big Guys
The aforementioned tactics should always take place within the parameters of a solid marketing strategy. You want to create a connection, and that will happen by following some practical marketing guidelines.
There’s an old saying that goes, “dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” Similarly, you should market for the company you want and not the company you have. A smart marketer is always striving to take their organization to the next level.
To do that, consider how those who have already made it to the next level are marketing on social media. While a smaller business cannot operate with the assumption that everyone will be familiar with their brand, they should employ the same core tactics that large companies employ.
One of the main things that set companies apart from the competition is that they have a solid understanding of their product, business model, customers, and the probability of success.
Thus, for a small business to act like it’s a big business, one of the core things that needs to happen is they must create social media content that has a clear purpose or message. You have to take knowing your product, your customers, and your business model as seriously as the major industry players do.
Find what your target audience is looking at. Without a comprehensive understanding of the things that interest and matter to your target audience, it will be exponentially harder for you to create content that they care about.
Zero in. To effectively demonstrate the fact that your company is an expert in your field, make sure your focus is clear. Your social media marketing efforts should not be all over the place. Instead, they should portray a curated list of topics and themes that have a clear connection to your brand. When people think of your company, they should be able to draw specific, relevant ideas and images to mind.
Find influencers. Influencer marketing is quickly becoming a cornerstone of modern marketing efforts. Find an influencer whose interests and image match up with those of your company, and get them on board; this requires demonstrating why your brand and their brand go hand in hand.
Focus on content, not conversions. If your social media marketing campaigns are only ever about driving traffic to product pages, your followers are going to lose interest. Draw them in by producing quality content, and watch your traffic increase across all platforms, including your product landing pages.
Build relationships. We are drawn to companies for the same reason we’re drawn to people. Treat those social media connections with dignity, respect, and a touch of good humor for the best possible customer relationships.
There are no excuses. Social media provides so many dynamic platforms that allow a marketer to create a brand image that far transcends product or service. Social media allows a brand to create dynamic impressions and spread worthwhile messages. Essentially, it’s an easy, accessible method for creating and curating the type of content that will show consumers that your company isn’t at all like the other guys. Take advantage of it, and start transforming your brand’s image today.
