Social Media Marketing Revealed - Week 1



Social media marketing is a huge trend now-a-days, one that's very important to stay on top of. I know we've all got Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Flickr, YouTube, Tumblr etc. as part of our companys' marketing campaigns. But are we utilizing them to our full advantage and potential? To answer that question we must first understand what social media marketing is, what we are trying to accomplish with it and through what strategy and finally how are we going to execute the strategy.

 
What is Social Media Marketing?
Merriam-Webster defines social media as, "forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos)." Social media marketing is the act of utilizing these networks to reach our audience. Two of the main advantages to using this marketing approach is it is easily accessible and inexpensive.
 
The networks of social media are accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Its as easy as setting up a profile and inviting people to connect with you to start up with most social media sites. Don't let the easy accessibility fool you though, staying on top of a social media marketing campaign is a lot of work and requires constant attention.
 
These networks are also very inexpensive most networks are available free of charge with the option to either boost individual posts or get a corporate account at an extra fee. Social media marketing doesn't have to cost a lot in service fees but it can cost a lot in man hours. The best social media marketing campaigns post often and are quick to respond to audience interaction.

 
What are we Trying to Accomplish?
For every hour internet users are online, 13 minutes are spent on social networking sites. That's almost 1/4 of all internet use on social networking sites. The potential audience for social media marketing is emense. Social media marketing campaigns often focus on efforts to create content that attracts attention and encourages readers to share it with their social networks. Corporate messaging and content spreads from user to user, gaining momentum because it appears to come from a trusted, third-party, as opposed to the brand or company itself which may or may not be trusted or may be tuned out because it is coming from a source the user has no attachment to. This form of marketing is driven by word-of-mouth resulting in earned media rather than paid media. The effect of "compound sharing" can result in a company's content being exposed to an unlimited number of people very quickly and at very little or no cost to the company.

What is our Plan Moving Forward and how do we Execute that Plan?
There are many ways you can build your social media marketing plan moving forward depending on the type of company you have. This is not a one size fits all deal. You must put real thought into who your audience is and what they expect and need from  you. Below are 5 tips on how to build a strong social media marketing campaign.

Post Regular Updates
No one wants to find an awesome company on social media only to realize they haven't updated anything since 2010. I read a lot of blogs and for me that's the most annoying thing!! I find an amazing looking blog and boom they haven't posted in 4 years. It's so disappointing, not to mention if that company did decide to start posting again I wouldn't know because I won't be searching for them again. Posting regularly keeps readers and customers engaged. They want to know that you're a real person somewhere in the abyss of the internet that has real things to say to them.

Develop a Consistent Style
Having a consistent style is important because it develops a level of trust with your audience. If they never know what to expect or when they will lose interest. Having the same person do all social media posts is a great way to build consistency in language, writing style and post scheduling. People are more comfortable with things they can count on and expect. Let you social media platforms help develop customer comfort with your company.

Acknowledge your Audience
Always reply to comments, good or bad, promptly. It shows your audience you care about them and are engaged. Post relevant information you believe your audience will appreciate while still reinforcing your brand or showing your audience your knowledge about a subject. This will build trust in your brand and in turn customer loyalty. Lastly, acknowledge the accomplishments of your peers, it's a nice thing to do, makes them feel appreciated, builds loyalty and keeps you top of mind.

Connect and Build a Relevant Network
The network you build around your company on social networking sites is the main driver of your marketing campaign. You should like posts made by other pages or users and share posts to other pages or users. Likes and shares help build a stronger network and show your audience your brand through association.

Don't be Shy
Remember it's ok to brag about your accomplishments a little. Be proud of yourself, your company and your accomplishments. Also, remember to check your privacy settings and make sure everyone can see your content.

~ Do you have social media marketing tips, tricks, stories (good or bad) that you would like to share? Leave us a message in the comments! ~

Taya de Baat
Owner
TayLynn Bookkeeping

Taylynnbooks@shaw.ca
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