We are living in a time when companies of all sizes have unprecedented access to a wide pool of potential clients and customers through platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. But what does all of this mean for your business? How can you as a business owner or marketer use social media to grow your customer base?
The most important thing to remember is that having social media alone does not necessarily equate to a direct increase in sales. [ctt_hbox link=”UYhn5″ via=”no” ]Your success in using social media for your business has more to do with your engagement on each platform.[/ctt_hbox] Here are some reasons why social media engagement must be part of your marketing strategy.
Shape your brand on social media
The great part about actively utilizing your social media platforms is that you have control over your branding. Through posts, comments, likes, tweets, retweets, etc., you are communicating directly to consumers, both to current and potential clients. Through all your interactions on social media, you are building trust with customers, and you are in control of how that is delivered.
You can use the opportunity to engage on social media to become an expert or authority on a product or service that you are selling. You also have a direct line to customers, and the ability to listen to their needs, wants, and concerns in order to adjust your products accordingly.
[ctt_hbox link=”c400C” via=”no” ]Consistency and frequency of social media engagement will help you establish yourself as a trusted authority in your industry.[/ctt_hbox] Nowadays, your social media presence often makes or breaks your brand, and therefore it’s important to engage in a way that gives you the control over the brand messaging.
Increase your web presence with social media
You can use your social media pages to drive traffic to your website, which is the ultimate goal when using online platforms for sales and to distribute information. The idea is that you want folks to visit your site for product purchasing or contact information, and you can do that by including links to your website or product pages through your social media posts. As an added bonus, you’ll get additional website traffic boost when people share your posts.
Website links are also terrific customer service tools. You can use social media to direct current clients to refer your links or contact information on your website.
Use social media for precision market targeting
Through your engagement on social media, you can actively target specific audiences that may be interested in your product. Gone are the days when you purchase an ad in the hopes that someone who is looking for your service will find you. Today, you can purchase a cost-effective ad on Facebook or Instagram, and use the targeting tool to narrow the audience to the exact consumer you are looking for with regards to specific demographics.
Platforms that offer ad buying also give you analytics on how well the ads performed, including how many folks saw or responded to your ad. This will give you specific insights into how your marketing efforts are translating into customer engagements.
As with any part of your business, social media engagement does involve putting together a strategy and executing that strategy in the best way to benefit your bottom line. Having social media accounts alone will not bring you more customers, but through active engagement to increase brand awareness and control messaging, drive traffic to your site, and through utilizing tools for precision targeting, you are on your way to a more complete marketing strategy by building relationships.
If you need guidance on a successful social media engagement strategy,
contact Miss Ink. We can provide you with creative expertise to help your brand stand out on social media.
References:
Council, F. A. (2017, March 14). It’s No Longer Internet Marketing Without Social Media . Retrieved March 23, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/03/14/its-no-longer-internet-marketing-without-social-media/#6284a874387d
