Social media marketing strategy changes by the minute, but there are some general lessons to keep you on track.
Social media changes constantly. Accordingly, social media marketing strategies shift incessantly to keep up with the fast-paced virtual world. At SMO Pros, we’ve found that it’s difficult, if not futile, to try to adapt to every change rolled out by every social site. Instead, it pays to follow a few best practices and keep your finger on the pulse of the field as a whole. With that in mind, here are three key lessons on social media marketing strategy for 2015:
1. Social media is personal
Social media may be run by robots and algorithms, but social media users are real people. It is social media, after all, meaning it’s personal, it’s interactive, it needs to connect on an individual level. Companies that invest in connecting with their customers on a personal level will be more successful in their social media marketing efforts. You can’t just shout promotional messages at people all the time. People want to be treated like people, especially in a forum where they go to connect with friends and family. So interact like a human. Connect like an interested friend. Communicate like someone who cares. Inform like someone who has something to share.
According to TechRepublic, “Advertisers are increasingly moving towards an approach of targeting, messaging and measuring people.” This applies to things like targeted advertising, retargeting ads and personalized content. Advertisers and marketers are constantly looking for new ways to cut through the clutter and reach their audiences with information created specifically for them. Bottom line: Your content must be targeted to the people you serve – otherwise it’s just noise. Know your audience. Understand their interests and needs. Then you can create content and special offers to draw them in as customers.
2. Social media a visual media.
Pictures and videos rule social media. Instagram has 58 times more engagement per follower than Facebook and 120 times more engagement per follower than Twitter. What does that tell us? It tells us that people love pictures. They interact with images, like them, share them. Plain text posts are fine for communicating a simple message, but if you want to get people’s attention, get visual. In fact, it would behoove you to create a clear visual marketing strategy that integrates visuals with your marketing messages to portray a strong, visually appealing brand. This means more than just opening an Instagram account and snapping a few iPhone photos. Talk with a graphic designer or branding company to establish the look and feel of your business, and then carry that out across all of your social media properties for a consistent image.
3. Social media is data driven.
It’s not just about how many likes your Facebook page has, or how many people follow your company on Twitter. Effective social media marketing means tracking and analyzing your engagement with fans and followers to determine how your connections affect your company’s conversation rates, email acquisitions and customer retention. How many people who liked your Facebook page signed up for your email list? What percentage of those who are following you on Twitter are actually buying your services? When you post something on LinkedIn, how many of your connections are referring you to their network? These metrics help you determine the effectiveness of your social media marketing and guide the types of adaptations you need to make in your overall marketing strategy.
Want more info? Learn more about our social media marketing services, get personalized feedback by requesting a consultation or download our free social media marketing guide.