You'd have to have been living under a rock for the last several years if you've never heard the term 'social media' or ventured onto the likes of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Instagram yourself. People of all ages, everywhere are tweeting, liking, pinning and sharing content on social media platforms, around the clock and throughout the week. Social media has taken the world by storm, broken down barriers that once existed for technology, and is now a part of virtually every aspect of some people's everyday lives.
Despite the fact that some people are now receiving their minister's sermons in bite-sized tweets or ordering dinner at their favourite restaurants via Facebook, many small business owners still aren't putting the power of social media marketing to work for their brands. If you're looking for new, cost-effective ways to drive quality leads and sales to your business, social media marketing is your solution. Here's why:
Like I said, people of all ages use social media. This means that no matter your target market, there's no better way to reach such a large group of potential customers than by interacting on popular social media platforms.
That said, some social media platforms are better suited for reaching certain target markets. While you're more likely to reach professionals in LinkedIn than, say, Facebook, Pinterest might be a better match for your art studio or window coverings store. By pinpointing where it is that your target audience hangs out, you can continuously reach out to and interact with existing and new customers for little, if any, cost.
Want to know more about what it is that your target market wants and needs? Just check out their tweets or updates to learn about the needs they're looking to satisfy. How can you adjust your social media marketing strategy to better target this group of customers?
Google has made it known that businesses that wish to rank well in the search engine results must be active in social media. Yup, you heard that right; if your business isn't sharing content or interacting with people on a regular basis, there's a really good chance you will never reach that highly coveted real estate on page one of Google.
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times; businesses that wish to sell their goods and services online need to first earn their customers' trust. You see, people have a hard time believing that they're going to receive what it is that they order from a faceless company, online. You could have paid a premium for the best web design services in the world, hoping to win over your customers, but if they don't feel some type of personal connection with your brand, they'll take their business elsewhere. By interacting with people in social media, you provide that highly valuable human interaction that people need to feel confident about shopping online.
Even if someone posts a scathing review of your business in social media, you can still use this platform to respond quickly and professionally to show the customer and others that you're serious about what you do and you're working hard to provide a quality product or service.
One of the major downfalls of other forms of marketing is that it's difficult to track your results or to learn how to better tailor your marketing materials to generate real results. With social media, you can see how your content is being received by the number of times people like, share or re-tweet. There are also special tools you can use to track your progress in social media, which will provide even deeper insights.
Really, this is just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to social media marketing and how it can be used to really put your business on the map. If you're ready to learn more about adding this solution to your digital marketing strategy, get in touch with us.
We live, work, and gather on traditional, unceded, and treaty territories of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples from coast to coast to coast. We’re committed to our collective responsibility to the original caretakers of this land and to listening, learning, and acting in ways that support reconciliation.
