Marketing with social media has become a crucial part of many successful companies’ strategies, but not all businesses are taking full advantage of this new tool. If you want to make social media marketing work for your business, here are some steps to help you get started.
Social media has become an essential marketing tool for most businesses, whether it’s to build brand awareness, acquire new customers or connect with existing clients on a more personal level. But with so many social networks to choose from and so many ways to leverage each one, how can you be sure your social media marketing efforts are effective? By following these tips, you can make social media work to your advantage.
Why you need SMM
Social media marketing is a great way to your business. It's convenient, easy, and lets you target a specific group of people that may be interested in what you have to offer.
Here are some tips on how to make social media marketing work for your business:
1) Be consistent- Posting content regularly is the best way to stay relevant in the eyes of your followers. 2) Develop an editorial calendar- It's important to map out posts so you know when each post will go live.
Tips on content curation
Social media marketing is an advertising tool that should be used cautiously. Be sure not to overload your followers with irrelevant posts or too many posts per day. Instead, curate content that is relevant and of high value.
Share images that are worth a thousand words, short videos, tips on how you have achieved success in the past, and links to articles by other influencers in your industry.
Engage with people who comment on your posts by thanking them for their input and asking them questions about what they think of your products or services.
Tagging strategy
An active presence on multiple networks
These days, it's not enough to only have a Facebook page for your business. You should also make sure you post on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and more.
This way, you'll be able to reach people in every stage of their decision-making process: from researching products and services all the way through the purchase and beyond. It's also a good idea to tailor your content so that it speaks directly to each network.
For example, videos might work best on YouTube or Vimeo while infographics might do well on Pinterest or Slideshare.
Know your target audience and their needs
The first step in any successful social media marketing campaign is knowing your target audience and the needs of that audience.
This can be done through traditional market research or by following and interacting with your target audience on social media. Once you know what their needs are, you can tailor your posts accordingly.
You also need to consider what will resonate most with your audience and how they prefer to receive information.
For example, if you have an older customer base who prefers email newsletters, then include social media buttons so those customers can share them with friends who may not have seen them. A study from eMarketer found that businesses with a clear message had 2x much engagement as those without one (eMarketer).
The importance of an editorial calendar
An editorial calendar is the key component of any successful social media marketing strategy. It will help you stay on top of your content and make sure your content is relevant and timely. If you're looking to create an editorial calendar, here are some ideas that might help:
-Create a list of topics related to your business or industry, then brainstorm 10-12 content ideas for each topic. For instance, if I'm a designer that specializes in logo design, I would have topics like logo trends, 5 ways we can work with logos, ways logos are used in branding, etc.
Don’t forget the basics!
Choose your social media platforms and make sure you understand how they work. There are many different types of social media platforms, and it can be overwhelming to keep up with all of them.
One great way to start is by focusing on the platforms that your audience uses most often and/or ones that are relevant to your business. Keep in mind that each platform has its own rules and guidelines, so it’s important to read through them before making a decision about which platforms you want to use.
Once you have chosen your social media channels, create a plan for each one. What content will you post? When will these posts go live? Who will post these updates? If a lot of people contribute to these accounts, how do you communicate with each other about what needs posting?
If you’re looking to make marketing easier and more effective for your business, social media marketing may be the way to go. Social media’s popularity makes it an ideal place to promote yourself to potential customers, and if you follow these simple steps, you can put together an effective social media marketing campaign that gives your business the boost it needs in today’s competitive marketplace.