What Is Social Media Marketing?
The basic definition of social media marketing is using social media platforms to promote a product or service. But it’s much more than that. It’s the process of tailoring content for each platform to increase engagement, drive traffic, and achieve important marketing goals.
No matter what the size of your business is, social media marketing is a powerful tool to reach prospects and customers. From increasing sales to driving website traffic, there’s a lot you can achieve if you use it effectively. Read on to learn more about it.
What is Social Media Marketing
Pillars of Social Media Marketing
If you are just starting out, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of social media marketing to help maximize the buzz.
- Strategy – thinking of publishing something on your social media? Align your strategy with your business goals. This involves planning, setting goals, deciding which social media platforms to focus on, and determining how to engage with your audience.
- Planning and Publishing – growth does not happen overnight. Plan your content beforehand and publish it consistently. Share everything from blog posts to photos and videos to maximize your reach on social media. You can also schedule your posts to have them published at your preferred time. This saves you time and helps you reach your audience when they are most active.
- Audience Engagement – engagement is much more than just talking with people in social media communities. To be fully engaged with your audience, you need to listen to them when they leave you a comment or ask you a question. Resolve their problems when things go awry. Make sure to keep the conversation going even after the problems are solved. If they are providing feedback about your brand, acknowledge it. Always appreciate positive comments.
- Analytics – most social media platforms provide a basic level of analytics. Keep an eye on the numbers for insights on what you are doing right or wrong. You can begin by listing your top-performing posts. Now, based on those posts, you can create content that will help generate more engagement.
- Advertising – advertisements are an intrinsic part of social media. They help you reach a wider audience than those who are following you. What’s more, you can target your audience based on their location, demographics, interests, behavior, and more.
What is Social Media Marketing
Benefits of Social Media Marketing
Take a look at the many ways in which social media marketing can help you connect, engage, and grow your business.
- Reach Large Audiences – with social media marketing, you can showcase your products in front of a large audience. Today, over 3.8 billion people use social media, which means most of your potential customers hang out on these platforms.
- Increase Brand Awareness – it’s easy to spread the word about your products and services through social media. By being consistent with your marketing strategies, you can engage a wide audience.
- Increase Traffic – linking your website to all your social media platforms will drive traffic to your website. You can also share content from your blog or website to your social channels. Ultimately, visits from followers can result in more leads and conversions.
- Improve Cost Efficiency – social media marketing is way cheaper than traditional methods of marketing. Besides, any paid promotions you decide to invest in will not burn a hole in your pocket.
- Gain Audience Insights – social media helps generate a huge amount of data about your customers. You can learn about who your customers are, where they like to spend their time, what interests them, and more. Use all the insights to make smarter business decisions.
What is Social Media Marketing
Popular Social Media Platforms
Start Social Media Marketing!
Considering there are billions of people on social media today, social media marketing is more important for brands than ever. Social Media Marketing should be a part of your Digital Marketing Strategy. It’s a fast, cost-efficient, and effective way to reach potential customers. Invest some time, set goals, start engaging, and you will be on your way to mastering the art of social media marketing.
