Social media marketing is currently at a place where search engine optimization was ten years ago, or web design was a decade before that. Namely, we’ve reached a point where business owners and leaders at every level are beginning to understand that there is enormous marketing potential within Facebook, Twitter, and the other social media sites. At the same time, however, most simply don’t know how to take advantage.
I can’t clear up everything you need to know in a short article, of course, but I can give you some good pieces of advice to nudge you in the right direction. So, here are a handful of social media marketing rules to live by…
Don’t Sell Directly
As a rule of thumb, customers will tune out over advertisements on social media platforms. There are exceptions, of course, but your advertising has to be incredibly creative and intensely focused. A better approach is to simply post items your audience would be interested in and let them get to know your business. Do that for a while, and they’ll make their way to your website on their own.
Work in the Right Mediums
A lot of marketers like to post text updates to Facebook and Twitter, because these are the easiest to create. Photos get all the likes and shares, though, followed by a short video clips. If you really want to get results from your social profiles, you have to work in the mediums your customers tend to prefer.
Reinforce Your Other Campaigns
You shouldn’t be emphasizing one thing on social media and another thing on your website or email newsletters. That’s just wasting energy, and confusing customers who interact with you in multiple ways. If you want to make the most of all your marketing efforts, ensure that one reinforces another by sticking with consistent branding and messaging every time you post something new.
Find the Social Platforms Your Customers Prefer
One thing that drives me crazy is watching business owners cling to a certain social platform (like Facebook, for instance, or Google +) simply because it’s the one they prefer. When you put your marketing hat on, your personal tastes have to take a backseat to what your buyers like. Find the platforms they want to use, and market through those.
Don’t Confuse Activity With Results
It’s lots of fun watching your post attract hundreds or thousands of likes, but that’s not necessarily productive. Everything you do on your business pages should be aimed at helping the bottom line. Don’t confuse interest and activity with sales-oriented results, because they aren’t the same thing.
Social media marketing might be new, but it’s not necessarily complex. As long as you’re engaging customers and prospects in a way that catches their attention positively, you’re going to start building a strong brand and reputation. Then, you can use that will them into more traditional sales channels.
If you’re looking for expert and experienced help getting more from your online marketing campaigns, reach out to Biondo Creative today to set up a free consultation and see how we can help!