Most businesses understand that social media marketing is one of the many channels needed to promote awareness and engagement with their brand, service and/or product. When I started in communications over 10 years ago the social media landscape was very different. Facebook was an entirely different beast aimed at students, and Twitter was just starting to take off as ‘a thing’ to watch. It’s incredible to see how these channels of communication have evolved.
What has astounded me in more recent times, is that some businesses and brands still struggle to see the value in social media. I’ve been confronted with the notion that if social media likes or engagement don’t directly link to a sale, then it’s failed as a communications channel. I think this shows a misunderstanding of the power of social media and how to measure its influence. It also indicates that brand awareness is not a key objective for this type of business, which for me as a communications expert is, quite frankly, a bonkers approach!
I believe your first goal of social media marketing needs to be about branding, not leads. This is because most people on social media are there to kill time or watch something entertaining. Your social media content needs to tap into that. So instead of just posting about the features of your product or service, create content that elicits emotion and starts conversation.
Having a good social media presence is not just expected, it is a necessary channel to utilise to help grow the success of your brand. Here are some reasons why:
Your competitors are using it
If you don’t have a social presence you will be losing out to your competitors who do. Competitor analysis should take into account their social activity, so you can develop yours to be better. 81% of consumers research their product online before purchasing, and that includes social media. Shoppers are even more likely to buy if their friends and family share or recommend a product on social. With the average shopper consulting about 12 different sources before they make a purchase decision, if you’re not find-able on social you’re unlikely to be considered as an option.
Still working on your competitor analysis? I can help with that.
It will boost your SEO and visibility
Posts that get shared a lot also tend to be posts that rank more highly on google. However it’s important to remember that this is a correlation, not causation.
Breaking it down, content that gets shared a lot gets seen more and is more likely to get linked to from other websites. Those links are known as backlinks and these cause better search rankings.
So for SEO, it’s not the actual social activity that matters, more so the results of that activity.
Saying that, social media profiles can help you dominate the first search result page more organically, which can contribute to an increase in traffic to your website.
It’s cost effective
So the days of relying purely on organic social for leads are pretty much gone, but that shouldn’t be a reason for not continuing with earned, organic marketing. The only cost to you is time, after all. The rewards include better brand visibility. Social advertising can also be cost effective at reaching your target audience. When investing in paid social, it’s advisable to start small to see what result you can expect. Testing and tweaking is everything in this game. However by just investing a little money and time, you can significantly increase your conversion rates and ultimately get a return on your initial investment.
It’s a customer service and satisfaction channel
Social media is now the place to leave reviews, good or bad. By having a presence online you gain a better understanding of your customers and prospects and you can illustrate your excellent customer service for all to see. Having a better understanding of your marketplace is one of the most valuable advantages of social media. After all, if you’re not on social media how can you accurately measure customer satisfaction and sentiment?
A brand that takes the time to engage with its customers is seen as one that values its customers. Developing customer loyalty is a key objective for any business which is why it’s imperative to engage with your customers. Most consumers use these platforms not just for research but as service channels too, so you need to be there to handle any queries, complaints or issues, with a personal touch.
It encourages engagement and brand awareness
Speaking directly to fans and followers and encouraging conversation with them is the best way of converting prospects into leads. People are more likely to spend their hard earned cash with a brand that they have a bond with. Social media allows you to create that bond. It can be tempting to use social as a broadcast tool only, and while having a presence on these channels is one thing, creating relevant and useful content is just as important. The important thing to remember is to make social media about your audience, not just your business.
Social media allows your audience to interact with your brand in a more playful way too. It wasn’t created for businesses, it’s for humans, so making sure you have a good mix of entertaining, educational and informative content is key to social success. Need some help generating ideas or developing your businesses social strategy? That’s what I’m here for.