Does Social Media Marketing Actually Work for Businesses
Social media marketing is a strategy to use free posts and paid ads on social media sites to connect with your target market and build your brand. It may sound like an excuse to play PUBG, but in reality, it is one of the fastest-growing forms of marketing today and the fastest growing trend in the history of the world.
Unlike other forms of marketing, social media marketing connects you with your target market instantly, providing feedback and insight into the people you want to market to. It is also a great way to increase brand awareness with very little effort.
But can social media really lead to more sales for your company? If yes, how does social media marketing work?
Social Media Marketing - An online presence required
When was the last time you opened the phone book? Are you the owner of one too? If you don't remember, you are not alone. While phone books were useful tools for a long time, they always had limitations: once printed, they could not be updated; They were never completed, some businesses were missed; Sometimes listing your business costs money, And most people only had access to them at home.
In contrast, the Internet is constantly updated and available anywhere your phone is in service. Tools like Google Business Listing and Facebook have become the phone books of the 21st century, with many people turning to these sites for information about business locations, hours of operation, services, prices, and customer reviews. In fact, 95% of Millennials, 87% of Gen Xers, and 70% of people aged 45 to 60 expect an active Facebook page from a business. This explains why 80 million small businesses have Facebook Pages for their company; Businesses are recognizing that a presence on social media is important if they want potential customers to know they exist.
Similarly, many customers view social media platforms as a way to reach customer service. As the Marketing Insider Group explains, "Social platforms have successfully broken down the barriers between companies and their customers. Now, instead of calling the customer service line, many people visit Facebook to solve problems or get information." Or turn to Twitter. Customers can ask questions or post concerns in hopes of finding an employee or existing customer who can help them. Companies that respond quickly and address customer concerns well These interactions can also be a great way to measure how well customers are responding to your brand and certain age groups. For those who are indifferent to the phone, this may be the only way they are willing to reach your business.
Social Media Marketing Works...when done the right way
A 2013 study by researchers from Aalto University, University at Buffalo, and Texas A&M University was the first to show that the more customers engaged with a company through social media, the higher the company's revenue from those customers. In fact, customers who engage with the business on a regular basis typically contribute 5.6% more revenue to the business and 5% more business visitors than customers who are not engaged with an online brand.
Recent data from Fatbit Technologies demonstrates the power of social media engagement between businesses and their customers. Data from 2017 shows that 75% of people buy after seeing a product in their social media feeds, and 57% are more likely to make a purchase from a brand they follow on social media. Significantly, social media marketing has a more than 100% lead-closing rate when compared to other forms of outbound marketing. In non-marketing terms, this means that social media marketing is one of the most effective forms of marketing available.
Authenticity and credibility on salesmanship
Viewers today have been bombarded with traditional forms of advertising for most (if not all) of their lives. They are knowledgeable and are not easily led by clever sales pitches or gimmicky promotions. In fact, an important feature that audiences want from companies today is authenticity. Authentic, on-brand social media posts give viewers the feeling that a company is an organization of people, not a faceless corporate megalith. When companies demonstrate that they share the values of their customers and conduct themselves in ethical ways, audiences respond by engaging with the brand.
Social media is also a great way to show potential customers that you can deliver the goods or services they want. A strong social media profile that demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of your business and an awareness of important industry trends does a lot to build potential customers' trust in your ability. Plus, by encouraging existing customers to leave reviews for your business on social media, you can show potential customers what you value about customer satisfaction, quality workmanship, or whatever else you value, rather than just telling them What they hear from every other company.
Tips for Social Media Marketing Success
Obviously, social media marketing is an important component of a digital marketing plan. But if you've never operated a professional social media page, it can seem overwhelming. How do you turn your social media efforts into success?
Here are some key tips from the DigiDir marketing team:
- Set clear goals and track them. Don't just set up a marketing page and wait for it to work. Think about what you really want out of this marketing. Do you want to increase brand recognition? Do you want to increase traffic to your website? Are you most interested in increasing online sales? In-store visit? Once you achieve your goals, figure out what metrics you need to track and track them carefully. You'll probably need to adjust your strategy here and there before you find what works for you.
- Choose a platform or two to start with. There are so many social media platforms available today that you might be tempted to create an account on all of them. Although social media can be time-consuming, especially if you are new to it, a better approach is to start with a platform or two. Choose platforms that are appropriate for the business you do and the audience you're trying to reach.
- Take the time to learn the culture of your platform. The Internet has a culture, complete with rules for dealing with and engaging with other users. Follow some businesses you know and see how they interact with customers. The goal isn't to make your posts look exactly like everyone else's, but they should indicate that you know how to play the game.
- Prepare your content for the platform as well as your audience. Certain types of content work better on certain types of social media sites. For example, Instagram and Pinterest are very visual, so they are not the best platforms for sharing large chunks of text. But Facebook and Tumblr, both of which are built for more text, are great places to share a snippet of your new blog post or an announcement about a significant achievement or policy change. Similarly, tailor your language to your audience. If your audience is business people, the kind of informal language you use with teens can come across as childish or arrogant.
- Be consistent with your brand and be authentic with your values. Good marketing depends on a solid brand identity, often built around core values or a central mission. Before you begin your social media marketing, you may find it helpful to create a brand style guide that can guide your posts to stay on-brand. It is important to avoid posting content that conflicts with your brand identity as doing so will make you seem hypocritical, unprofessional, and misleading. People want to know what a business really is. They want to see that the business shares its values. But if you make them feel like you're just following the crowd, your efforts may backfire.
- Post quality content on a regular basis. In most cases, posting content that is engaging and meaningful to your customers is often more important than posting it. However, there has to be a balance. If you don't post often enough, your content will not be prioritized by social media platforms. So start with a manageable goal. Maybe post once or twice a week to start, but try to post at the same time each day. Make those posts really interesting, and be sure to come back to the posts to read and respond to the comments.
- Lastly, engage with your followers and encourage their engagement. Social media users are thrilled when they get a like or comment back from you. It makes them feel like you really care about your customers. Even angry commenters will often soften if you address them respectfully and make them feel heard. While it's important to honestly address negative comments (and it's okay to point out ways you've tried to address any problems the commenter made), always be the big person. Another way to make users feel heard is by asking them to comment or post on your Page in ways that encourage conversation. For example, a dog grooming business might ask its followers to share photos of their cutest pets, or a pizzeria might post a poll asking users to vote on their favorite toppings. could.
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