The wide range of social media marketing tools has provided online businesses with a plethora of method to target searchers. The growth over the past 10 years in SMM capabilities has made it possible to connect with a larger audience of people using multimedia formats. There is no longer a need to restrict contact to just information via text. Photos, videos and links into relevant sources of information are all seen as valuable by searchers and social media followers.
Video & Image
The use of video is widely undervalued but the possibilities are wide. Video makes it possible to provide ‘how to’ videos, visual case studies, webinars and client testimonials. Images can also help build a rapport with your audience. Photos can be used to show your audience pictures of staff, company events and the business itself. Users always like to put faces to businesses. It builds trust and makes it easy to develop relationships. People generally like to see who they are dealing with and are more open to interact.
Using videos and photos of staff prepares customers if you also have a ‘bricks and mortar’ business. Potential customers can see who they are likely to deal with at the business. It starts the process of familiarity.
Creating social media marketing strategies that work
Even the best SMM strategy will fail if people fail to access your profile. To ensure your audience knows that you have a profile on Twitter and Facebook you need to inform them. Newsletters can be an effective ways of communicating with customers and any prospects to invite them to follow you. If you use printed materials then you need to include the URL for any social media accounts. A better option is to send out emails with the links included. The simpler you make access to your accounts the better. For social media to work, it’s important to inspire social activity – otherwise it simply won’t work.
Keeping them interested
Once people know you’re there and are actively following you the next stage is to maintain their participation. One way is to think up a range of promotions. These can be small incentives such as a coupon for Facebook friends or letting Twitter followers know about sales before everyone else. This type of offer will keep people interested and will also encourage referrals and new people joining.
Social media marketing differs from print promotion or face-to-face selling for example. The information must be updated regularly and you need to constantly think up small incentives to keep people hooked. It will only work if you successfully attract members to your online community so the process is two-pronged with promotion needed to create the community in the first place and then further promotion to keep them following.
In addition to being a fantastic medium for creating business opportunity it is also one of the most cost effective forms of internet marketing. You will adapt social media marketing depending on your business and audience but using social media is imperative for all companies if they want to stay ahead.