Whether you \u2764\ufe0f or \ud83d\ude21 social media, this type of marketing can do wonders for any company, regardless of industry type. The trick is finding the right platform, attracting followers and<\/u> keeping them engaged.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So many social choices\u2026 <\/strong><\/h3>\nThere\u2019s no magic formula when it comes to the best social media platform for your business. While a lot depends on the type of business you have, that doesn\u2019t mean you should only be on one platform. LinkedIn tends to be more effective for B2B and professional service businesses, while Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can be better solutions for consumer-centric companies.<\/p>\n
Alex Germain, Marketing Coordinator, Marketing Direction<\/a> highly encourages having a profile on the majority of the largest social media platforms, \u201cas more content stemming from your company will actually assist with SEO performance.\u201d<\/p>\nForbes<\/a> suggests that if you are a small business owner wanting to take the social media world by storm, make sure you\u2019re active on at least these five platforms:<\/p>\n\n- Facebook<\/li>\n
- Instagram<\/li>\n
- Twitter<\/li>\n
- YouTube<\/li>\n
- LinkedIn<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.marketingdirection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/media-998990_1920-600x435.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Get their attention with quality content<\/strong><\/h3>\nCan social media increase brand awareness? \u201cAbsolutely,\u201d states Alex, \u201cprovided you\u2019re posting the right content.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSocial media can help your brand establish its personality and voice when interacting with people,\u201d explains Alex. \u201cProviding high-quality and engaging content can establish your brand\/company as a thought-leader for that topic, gaining more credibility among your audience.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to a recent article in Business News Daily<\/a>, \u201cSocial media provides targeting capability, as well as reach and scale, at a lower cost than almost all other marketing channels. People are on social media all day, every day \u2013 brands must go where the people are.\u201d<\/p>\nWhen creating content, start with the \u2018why\u2019 of your business. Use the \u2018why\u2019 to develop how you\u2019re going to do something as a company, then what the action will be. Brainstorm with team members not only on the sole area your business operates in, but also related sub-topics that are relevant to the area you are trying to serve.<\/p>\n
Some post ideas include:<\/p>\n
\n- A link to your company blog on social media platforms<\/li>\n
- Highlights of your company culture<\/li>\n
- Industry news<\/li>\n
- Content of other businesses in your niche<\/li>\n
- Asking a question<\/li>\n
- Product videos \u2013 research shows that videos have a 135% greater organic reach<\/a> compared to photos<\/li>\n
- Customer testimonials<\/li>\n
- Event promotions and\/or photos from company events<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
When formatting, create a defined system to be able to keep track of all your content for social media. Alex suggests implementing a social media \u201ccalendar\u201d of posts for the following month so that you\u2019re not scrambling around for ideas at the last minute.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Why your business should get social<\/strong><\/h3>\nSocial media provides the easiest access to direct communication between you and your customers. \u201cCompared to other forms of direct marketing social media has virtually no barriers outside of hitting a single button,\u201d explains Alex. \u201cA responsive brand on social media is able to better communicate, understand and resolve a customer\u2019s needs, resulting in deeper, long-term connections.\u201d<\/p>\n
Social media is a multi-prong tool in your company\u2019s marketing plan. It serves as a direct communication method and form of reputation management with end users and helps your website perform better in SEO results. And with social media platforms continually being flooded with content, content that breaks out of the norm can help establish your company as a resource, not just a place of business, for consumers and partners in your industry.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re not taking advantage of social within your digital marketing strategy, you\u2019re missing out on a fast, inexpensive and effective way to reach almost half the world\u2019s population. \u201cSocial media for business is no longer optional,\u201d states Hootsuite<\/a> writers Stacey McLachlan and Christina Newberry. \u201cIt’s an essential way to reach your customers, gain valuable insights, and grow your brand.\u201d<\/p>\nTo help you navigate the ever-changing social media landscape, Entrepreneur<\/a> suggests enlisting the services of a social media expert who can offer insight into content planning, competitor tracking and sharing curated links. These professionals can provide you with valuable resources to expand your social media following and broaden your online presence.<\/p>\n
Forbes<\/a> suggests that if you are a small business owner wanting to take the social media world by storm, make sure you\u2019re active on at least these five platforms:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Can social media increase brand awareness? \u201cAbsolutely,\u201d states Alex, \u201cprovided you\u2019re posting the right content.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSocial media can help your brand establish its personality and voice when interacting with people,\u201d explains Alex. \u201cProviding high-quality and engaging content can establish your brand\/company as a thought-leader for that topic, gaining more credibility among your audience.\u201d<\/p>\n According to a recent article in Business News Daily<\/a>, \u201cSocial media provides targeting capability, as well as reach and scale, at a lower cost than almost all other marketing channels. People are on social media all day, every day \u2013 brands must go where the people are.\u201d<\/p>\n When creating content, start with the \u2018why\u2019 of your business. Use the \u2018why\u2019 to develop how you\u2019re going to do something as a company, then what the action will be. Brainstorm with team members not only on the sole area your business operates in, but also related sub-topics that are relevant to the area you are trying to serve.<\/p>\n Some post ideas include:<\/p>\n When formatting, create a defined system to be able to keep track of all your content for social media. Alex suggests implementing a social media \u201ccalendar\u201d of posts for the following month so that you\u2019re not scrambling around for ideas at the last minute.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Social media provides the easiest access to direct communication between you and your customers. \u201cCompared to other forms of direct marketing social media has virtually no barriers outside of hitting a single button,\u201d explains Alex. \u201cA responsive brand on social media is able to better communicate, understand and resolve a customer\u2019s needs, resulting in deeper, long-term connections.\u201d<\/p>\n Social media is a multi-prong tool in your company\u2019s marketing plan. It serves as a direct communication method and form of reputation management with end users and helps your website perform better in SEO results. And with social media platforms continually being flooded with content, content that breaks out of the norm can help establish your company as a resource, not just a place of business, for consumers and partners in your industry.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not taking advantage of social within your digital marketing strategy, you\u2019re missing out on a fast, inexpensive and effective way to reach almost half the world\u2019s population. \u201cSocial media for business is no longer optional,\u201d states Hootsuite<\/a> writers Stacey McLachlan and Christina Newberry. \u201cIt’s an essential way to reach your customers, gain valuable insights, and grow your brand.\u201d<\/p>\n To help you navigate the ever-changing social media landscape, Entrepreneur<\/a> suggests enlisting the services of a social media expert who can offer insight into content planning, competitor tracking and sharing curated links. These professionals can provide you with valuable resources to expand your social media following and broaden your online presence.<\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\nGet their attention with quality content<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
Why your business should get social<\/strong><\/h3>\n