Marketing today is a far different beast than just a few years ago. Before Internet, newspaper, TV and radio ads were the gold standard methods for marketing. But these methods can be prohibitively expensive, not to mention out of date. Then it’s no surprise that social media has become a popular way to advertise. But even though social media marketing sounds easy at first, it is actually a bit of a minefield – but one worth navigating for your business.
The reason for this lies in a simple paradox: marketing on social media is easiest when you already have followers. However, you must have a good marketing campaign to get these followers in the first place. Achieving excellent results is possible with social media without having to break the budget.
Listening to customers is the most important rule of marketing on social media.
Unlike television or radio, most web platforms involve two-way communication. It is important to engage in discussions that you see and respond to people who share your content. Your strategy cannot simply be to create an advertisement, share it, and then ignore it. You must engage your customer base through lively responses. By doing this, you will be forming avid fans of your brand. In turn, those fans will share that enthusiasm with others.
When on social media, there is often an assumption that you need to have quantity.
Quantity – many posts, many followers, many likes. Is that what you really need? In reality, quality is always better than quantity. Consider a list of 1,000 names and a list of 100 names. The list of 1,000 names is picked randomly from a phone book. The list of 100 names loves your brand and wants to buy from you. Which list would you rather have?
The 100 name list is clearly more valuable as it is targeted. Similarly, when it comes to social media, don’t get caught up in the number of followers you have. Instead, try to get good followers. As savvy social media users most people will see through the accounts that have 10,000 followers and no engagement or comments. Fake Fake Fake. Find a core group of followers who actively share your content and engage with you and nurture them!
Take the time to address those who reach out to you.
If you have a customer that asks you a question on social media, respond! Or if someone gives you a positive rating, thank them! Likewise, if it’s negative, reach out to them and work with them to see if you can resolve their issue! That level of customer service is valued today. Use their question as an opportunity to promote yourself. Even negative comments can be turned into a positive appearance for your business. Public displays of customer service, such as this, improve brand loyalty significantly.
The core idea is that social media is really a two-way street. Social media is a conversation between your audience and yourself – it is inherently what it says – social. Human to human contact is what people want – not human to device. And in an increasingly digital world, people often value customer service the most. If you take the time to write quality posts, attract followers, and engage in interesting follow-up conversations, then you have all the ingredients for a successful social media marketing strategy!
This blog has been provided by Shelley Best, Splice Communications