How much time do you spend each day on social media? If you are a small business, you may be spending more than you really want to. Working hard to build a brand online and create a following on various platforms can be a full time job. However, it’s how to play the game and scale your business, right? Let’s look at what makes social media an effective or ineffective marketing strategy.
Is Social Media An Effective Marketing Strategy?
To get the most out of your social platforms, you need to have an overall strategy. Just being on Instagram or Youtube is not actually a marketing strategy. It may seem like all you have to do is be seen and be social. In some ways this is true.
However, if you become known as the guy that posts funny memes 25 times per day, but no one has any idea what you sell, you are just wasting time. Your presence is paramount. Just make sure that you are attracting ideal clients, driving traffic to your website, and creating awareness of your product or service.
Why You Should be on Social Media
There are two major reasons:
1. Enhanced know-like-trust factor
2. Build brand awareness
People don’t buy products or services, they buy solutions. Connecting with you helps prospective clients trust more easily. But also, when done correctly, social media demonstrates your expertise. It helps establish your authority.
Also, for the most part, having an active profile is free. There are billions of people waiting to hear from you. Instead of trying to get them to come to you. You can meet them where they like to hang out and become friends. Just like in real estate, marketing is all about location, location, location.
Why Not to Use Social Media to Promote Your Business
If you are on 15 platforms just because you want to be everywhere. You are not using this tool effectively for your business. Just being there isn’t enough. You need to be consistent, engaged, and active. That is pretty hard to do on several platforms at once, especially if you are just starting out. It is even harder, if you don’t have a cohesive plan.
All marketing plans are long games. There is no overnight formula for guaranteed success. You may discover ways to skyrocket your engagement, followers, and traffic. But, generally, these quick fixes don’t create sustained growth. Algorithms change continually. You need to have a long range vision and commitment to stay the course. Just being social doesn’t make you money, leveraging your visibility and community does.
Building Your Brand on Social Platforms
Your brand is more than having a logo as your profile picture. You need to include key company phrases, values, and messaging in all of your posts. Someone should be able to tell the post is from you even as he is scrolling by. Keep media and graphics consistent.
Also, your brand has a story and a mission. Share that with your audience, repeatedly. Make it so they can repeat your story back as if they know it personally. This is the best advertising. Now, you have walking billboards spreading your message and recruiting new fans. But, if you don’t have a consistent story, brand, and messaging, that can’t happen.
Lastly, establish key hashtags. Use those that are popular and within your niche, those that target a specific goal or group, plus personal hashtags that are exclusive to your brand.
What is the Best Social Media Strategy?
The best social media strategy is one that you will maintain consistently. It is much better to be on two platforms faithfully than 15 platforms haphazardly.
You need consistent:
- Branding
- Messaging
- Engagement
- Posting
Also, a social media strategy isn’t enough. It needs to be an integral part of an overall digital marketing plan. If you don’t know why you are posting, then you aren’t going to get any results. Like everything in marketing, the end goal drives action. When you are consistent in your action and your intent, you will see greater results.
Social Media Marketing Tools
There are several tools that can make these tasks easier. You don’t necessarily need all of them, but automating some of the work will help you productivity. Remember the goal is to spend less time on social media and more on your business. However, you probably need a larger presence than you currently have.
So, here are some tools to consider when planning your strategy:
- Trello: to organize your posts, store links, and organize graphics
- Scheduler: this will vary depending on which platform you are using. Some, like Creator Studio, are free to use for specific platforms. Others like Hello Woofy are a paid service that does scheduling for multiple platforms and more.
- Graphic design software: Canva and PicMonkey are low cost, easy to use apps that allow you to customize and brand graphics for any platform.
- Emojipedia: Emojis are all the rage and help grab attention during mindless scrolling. Emojipedia is a free database of all emojis currently in use. It is ever growing and changing.
Choosing the Right Platform For Your Business
With so many options, you may be wondering which one is right for you. The truth is, the best platform for your business is one that fits your brand, attracts your ideal client, and is one you will be successful using.
Video based platforms:
- Youtube
- TikTok
- Bitchute
- IG TV
- Vimeo
Business minded platforms:
- Alignable
Visual/Photography based platforms
- Snapchat
Chat room style platforms:
- Telegram
- Slack
- Tango
- Skype
Traditional platforms:
- Redditt
Audio only platforms:
- Clubhouse
- Wave
- Hive
- Riffr
How is your digital marketing strategy going? Unsure of which platform is right for you? Schedule a free consultation with R Creative to look at your over business marketing plans, and create the best system to promote you across the web.
