Social networks play a substantial role in a business’s marketing strategy. The benefits of utilizing these various platforms is so great that anyone not implementing these resources is missing out on a phenomenal marketing opportunity. Whether you have a large or small business, social media marketing is a key element for success. Despite the benefits that social media platforms offer, some professionals are still unsure of how to get started, which tactics to employ, and how to track the effectiveness of their messages. The goal of this article is to help clear the confusion by explaining how you can use social media to increase your brand’s awareness and stay engaged with your customers.
Why Companies Should Favor Social Media Over Traditional Marketing Implementing a strong social media strategy will help you drastically improve brand recognition for your business. This is because you will be able to reach a broader audience of consumers. You should start by creating social media profiles for your business and getting everyone, including employees, business partners and sponsors, to “like” and “share” your page. Every post that gets shared will be introduced to a new network of individuals who could become your next customers. Posting on social media also improves search engine optimization, which is important for driving more people to your website. Social Media Examiner reports that more than 58% of marketers who have been using social media for one year or longer still see improved search engine rankings. Customers also appreciate when businesses engage with them by responding to comments and answering their questions. Utilizing social platforms helps humanize your company and provide the best experience for your clients. More traditional forms of marketing (i.e., print, broadcast, direct mail) can be much more expensive to implement. They also tend to have much lower response rates than marketing through social media, and it can be difficult to measure your return on investment.
Understanding the Differences between Social Media Platforms Not all social media platforms were created equal, which means not every social media platform is right for your business. Whatever you’re selling, you should have a presence on Facebook since the network has over 1.6 billion monthly users. Creating engaging posts that require you to engage (e.g., contests with rules that include “comment & share” and the like) will ensure your customers stay updated on your new product/sales/etc.
Although fewer people use it, Twitter is the second largest social network for marketing. Twitter is most popular among young adults. Your tweets should be short, catchy, to the point. Use #hashtags if you want to join an existing conversation or show you are a part of some bigger following. This will expose your tweet to anyone who searches for this hashtag. Instagram is primarily a photo-sharing service, but you can upload short videos as well. Many people use Instagram to follow brands/do brand research. It is the most engaged social network after Facebook.
What Social Media Marketing Means for my Budget. So how much should you spend to market your business on social media? $200-$350 per day is the industry average. For a small business however, this may not be practical. Luckily, it’s not necessarily about how much you’re spending, but about how you’re spending your marketing dollars. There are several free sites like Unsplash that offer high-quality stock photos. Canva is also another great platform to use if you’re need of quick graphic design. As usual, feel free to reach out to us at Endless Revenue Marketing for more information on marketing strategies and how we can help market your business for you.
