Social networking sites are used by 67 per cent of Internet users, making the world of social media a highly effective marketing tool.
A social media marketing strategy, however, can sometimes go wrong – Starbucks received more customer backlash from their December #spreadthecheer campaign than any good press or cheer-spreading. Here are five tips for optimising your social media marketing strategy and avoiding backfires.
Research
It’s a little-known fact considering Twitter’s popularity, but Pinterest has almost caught up with Twitter in terms of users. When deciding which to use, it’s important to consider demographics: the two social media appeal to different populations. Twitter is popular among urban residents and adults aged 18-29, versus Pinterest’s older and more educated demographics.
Knowing more about the social media websites you want to use will be central to a marketing strategy. When researching your social media websites, keep the demographics of your customers in mind. Know your audience: who your customers are and who you are looking to engage. Know your competitors and their social media strategy – it will help you plan yours.
Be selective
Unless you’re an eCommerce website operating on a multi-million budget, going from zero to one hundred social media sites may hurt rather than help your social media campaign. Twitter and Facebook presences are a given for any business, but immediately launching campaigns on three hundred other social sharing sites isn’t a good idea.
If you’re at a loss, there are plenty of eCommerce solutions focused on social media marketing floating around the Internet, but they aren’t one-size-fits-all. Do your research to figure out which solutions will work best for you.
Have specific goals
You won’t be able to evaluate the success of a campaign if you don’t have concrete goals in mind. Decide whether your priority is brand awareness, sales, or loyalty and retention – and create your strategy from there. With brand awareness, for example, you should focus your attention on garnering subscribers, likes and engagement from your audience. With sales, your focus will be on increasing your revenue through social media.
Engage
Being responsive to customers will make you seem more like a person and less like a company. If you have the resources, devote time to an active Twitter page; tweet frequently and follow others. Respond to Facebook likes and comments when you can.
Social media sites can also be great promotional tools. Offering a discount or a giveaway exclusively for your Facebook fans will garner you some more likes; you can do a similar campaign featuring Twitter hashtags. The opportunities really are limitless.
Evaluate
Remember that having a social media strategy that doesn’t work is pointless. Once you’ve put your social media marketing into action, remember to step back and evaluate as you go along to measure its effectiveness. More Facebook likes, Twitter followers and YouTube subscribers are a positive indication that you’ve increased brand awareness. If you aren’t getting many, it’s time to amend your social marketing strategy so you do.
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