Although everything has been
said about it, one gets still surprised by the number of people who have no
clear idea about social
media marketing. The only thing that people are
starting to realize is that it is not a walk in the park to initiate a social
media campaign. A good and effective social marketing offensive is definitely
as complex as any other media advertisement campaigns.
Primarily, it is not about commercial
campaigning, but sustained presence. This leads to new contacts and
new opportunities for companies, as well as strengthening their existing customer
relationships and branding effects. The following 9 tips for
successful social media marketing may contribute to a better understanding.
1. Stay on Top and Update Regularly!
One of the most common mistakes
is that businesses euphorically build their profiles
on any given platform, are thrilled by how many people “like” it or follow
them, and then turn around and concentrate on other things which seem more
important at the time, apparently without realizing what kind of damage they do
to their reputation and their brands. You don’t have to write a new blog post
every single day, but I think it is not too much to ask to update your status
on Facebook,Twitter & Co. on a daily basis.
People fail to realize that these
messages are the foundation of their relationships in the social networks and that
they leave an impact on potential customers who may visit the profile in order
to gain an impression of the provider. Irregular or infrequent updated
profiles may indicate unreliability or inactivity. And never forget that your competition is just a click away ,
waiting to convert these potential customers into regular clients.
2. Do Not Pitch!
As already mentioned before, social
media is about building relationships and not about troubling some random
contact with your newest business idea. Direct advertising is frowned
upon and how you get in touch with someone has also something to do with
respect.
Not everyone who is interested has an
immediate requirement but may keep you in mind for future projects. A pitch in social media is totally
inappropriate and destroys more than it could ever achieve.
3. Communicate!
You don’t have to comment on every single post or
respond to everything which is being said on your profiles. But to turn a blind
eye also doesn’t cut it. It’s like in the real world; How can we possibly come
in contact with somebody without communicating?
Get involved, reply to comments (where it seems
appropriate), contribute to some interesting discussions if you have something
to say and time permits.
4. Think First, Then Post!
What you write on the Internet
is public and it will be there forever. Keep this always in the back
of your head before you post something instead spontaneously posting everything
which crosses your mind.
5. Handle Criticism with Style!
We all have a bad day every now and then and it will
happen that somebody posts something negative on your profile. Let it be there
and do not delete it! Unless there is something you have to
correct, simply ignore it.
One should also remember that
everyone makes mistakes and not every criticism is unjustified
or undeserved. React to legitimate criticism with humility and merely explain
your position, OK?
If there are several critical
comments, it is not necessary to respond to every single one individually. Give
a well thought-through general statement and show your followers that you
really care about them. And then, and that’s really important, analyze what
mistakes you made to prevent them in the future.
6. Share other Content!
Rather than always to post your
own content, you can and should also link to post created by others. However,
the problem remains that you have to consider first whether the post is
relevant. The posting you consider to link on you pages must be
related to your own sphere of expertise as well as relevant to your audience. Prevent
to be perceived as just another “Retweeter”.
7. Do not just share Business Content!
There is no reason to hide the
human side of your company, to the contrary! Is there a BBQ or something extraordinary in everyday life which
was photographed or filmed by your employees? Publish it! Such content always conveys a positive image.
8. Set a Weekly Trend!
To share something once a week at a given time will
set a trend that will be rapidly picked up by your followers. This could be for
example a specific content or an “offer of the week” if you run a retail
establishment. Trends always spread and will bring traffic and increase
customer loyalty.
9. Guide Users to your Profiles!
It’s great to promote yourself through social media
but it shouldn’t stop there. It is equally important to draw attention to your
platform from the outside. A great way to do this is to create an e-mail
signature with direct links or to put QR-Codes on letterheads and business cards.
There is also nothing to be said against a “like us” link on your
website.
About
the Author: Foxfang Digital Solutions is the leading provider of online
marketing solutions in India, well known for running highly popular and
effective campaigns across all platforms. Have a look at our website: www.foxfang.com or contact us directly: info@foxfang.com
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