Did you know that a whopping 2.95 billion people around the world will be using social media by 2020? Hands-down, social media is one of the best ways to market your services and products and build authentic relationships with your customers.
But how do you figure out which site to use? Or what to post? It can certainly be confusing!
Let’s get into how to create and launch a killer social media marketing strategy.
1. Hone In On Your Target Demographic
Who uses your product or service? How old are they? What do they like to eat for dinner, and where do they prefer to travel on vacation?
These questions don’t just help you get to know your customers. They help you to refine your content to attract your ideal customers.
Narrowing down your audience will help you solidify your branding, choose appropriate content, and interact with your customers.
And remember this: those who try to talk to everyone usually end up reaching no one!
2. Focus On The Appropriate Platforms
Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or Linkedin. How do you decide which one to choose? Do you select all of them?
Before you begin posting haphazardly on various platforms, it’s essential that you identify which platforms match your audience and their needs.
In social media land, Facebook reigns supreme, with over 2 billion users logging in every month. No matter your industry, you should be on Facebook. Your business page should have appropriate contact details and relevant information about your products and services.
If your business has visual products, Instagram is the premier place for displaying those goods. Instagram offers both video and photo-sharing capabilities, and it’s one of the leading platforms for e-commerce companies.
Did you know that Pinterest is the second largest search engine- second to Google? Customers around the world trust Pinterest for locating new products, identifying the best services, and finding answers to common problems.
If you are B2B, LinkedIn is the preferred social media platform for networking and building brand credibility. LinkedIn makes it easy to share articles and ideas directly on its feed. It’s also one of the top sites for recruiting new talent and assessing your competition.
YouTube
YouTube is the leading channel for video marketing. When used appropriately, it can help boost your SEO and drive traffic to your site. You can also integrate your Youtube channel with your other platforms to maximize visibility.
Research shows that nearly half of people following a brand on Twitter will visit that company’s website. Twitter followers can help you establish your brand, and you can use this platform to provide direct customer service.
3. Identify Your Main Goal
Quick question: Why do you use social media? If you don’t have a clear answer, there’s a good chance you’re doing it wrong.
Social media provides vast benefits, but you need to know how to dial in your goals to unlock these platforms’ true potential. Otherwise, you’ll waste precious time and resources.
Start by identifying one, specific goal. Maybe you want to reach 10k Instagram followers within the next 30 days. Maybe you want to increase your Facebook response rate by 50% over the next six months.
By identifying your primary goal, you can then tailor your action plan to achieve it!
4. Be Authentic
Today, more than ever, consumers want to know the faces behind their favorite brands. In other words, they want to know who you are!
Don’t be afraid to be bold and show off your personality. In fact, the companies comfortable with cracking jokes, tend to receive free publicity simply by others sharing, liking, or commenting on their content.
And don’t forget to interact with your audience! Take the time to answer questions. Furthermore, you should always respond to issues and complaints quickly and efficiently.
5. Go Live
Video marketing is all the rage right now, and for a good reason. A video is as entertaining as it is captivating. And if a picture tells a thousand words, videos can tell a million of them, right?
You don’t need fancy equipment or advanced editing skills to get started. Instead, short bursts tend to do well. Consider making how-to tutorials or behind-the-scenes videos.
Don’t feel comfortable in front of the camera? Instagram and Facebook make it easy to create stories that disappear within 24 hours. You can use a combination of text, hyperlinks, and photo visuals to make a story.
6. Deliver Consistent Content
It’s not enough to throw up a Facebook post or tweet every few days. You need a consistent and constant strategy for posting and sharing content.
Many companies use planning tools like Buffer or Hootsuite to help plan out their content. And while there isn’t a ‘perfect’ strategy for how often you should be sharing or posting, consistency is the key to consider.
7. Experiment With Paid Ads
Even the best businesses can benefit from the generous boosts that paid advertisements can provide. You don’t need thousands of dollars to start- you can invest as little as $50-100 for this experiment.
Ideally, you should focus on just one platform at a time. If you’re not sure where to start, scope out the competition. What kinds of campaigns are they running?
Your paid ads should match your primary goal. If the goal is acquiring new leads, you want to be directing people to your site. If the goal is garnering more buzz around your brand, you want to be using ads that evoke conversation and engagement.
8. Consider Influencers
Influencers can help your brand in numerous ways. First, they create unique content. Second, they help improve your company’s reputation and generate increased sales.
Most people trust influencers. Whether it’s a well-known celebrity or a leading authority in a specific niche, influencers, well, influence, your audience!
Micro-influencers tend to provide the biggest bang for your marketing buck. They have large followings, but they are focused on specific audiences. Micro-influencers can include industry experts, bloggers, everyday people, or reality show celebrities.
You can begin your search by using hashtags. Start out broadly with tags like #influencer or #sponsored. Check out the posted content to see if you find an influencer you enjoy.
Finally, you can check out outreach programs. Numerous platforms allow you to search and track influencers in your industry.
You can start by reaching out directly. Be warm and authentic in your approach. Let them know that you are interested in pursuing influencers for your marketing.
Tell them about your company and why you are interested in acquiring influencers. Why have you chosen them? What can you offer in return?
Influencers receive hundreds of messages, so don’t be dissuaded by a lack of response. Wait a few days and send a follow-up. After two attempts, move on to someone else.
9. Outsource Your Social Media
Don’t have time to manage your social media presence? In today’s competitive society, you can’t afford to skimp out on this marketing.
However, you don’t need to take the DIY approach to succeed. In fact, many business owners prefer outsourcing their social media to professionals. This frees up their time to focus directly on their business needs.
Even though it requires upfront costs, this marketing can pay off in dividends long-term. A solid social media strategy can increase brand visibility and supercharge your lead conversion.
There are many options for outsourcing available including:
- hiring a virtual assistant
- using an account based marketing solution
- delegating a social media manager
Some or all of these options can help take your strategy to the next level- while also taking the responsibility off your plate.
10. Use The Right Analytic Tools
There are several ways to assess your social media strategy’s success. The simplest way to start is by identifying your total number of followers. If you have a good strategy and compelling content, your platforms will naturally acquire new followers.
Then, you should be determining the percentage of engagement. Are your posts generating shares, likes, and comments? Which types of content receive the best response rate?
Finally, what does the conversion look like? How many people are clicking to your site? Furthermore, how many people are then purchasing your products and services?
Final Thoughts on Building An Optimized Social Media Marketing Strategy
A great social media marketing strategy can benefit your business in limitless ways. From increasing company visibility to improving conversion leads, social media is one of the best ways to reach your customers.
Are you interested in learning more about scaling your business? Check out these proven tips today.