In the modern business era, running a successful business means establishing a strong online presence. The vast majority of consumers research products, services, and brands online before making any purchases. Without an online presence, you can’t expect to generate leads or make any sales.
In terms of digital marketing, social media marketing is one of the most effective tools at your disposal. More than 72% of Americans use social media, typically on a daily basis. Social media includes Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, Tik Tok, and more.
But what should you know before investing your time and resources in social media advertising? Keep reading to find out.
1. Building a Social Media Presence Takes Time
In the social media marketing world, you can’t expect immediate success. Building a large and loyal following takes time and consistency.
You may have a post go viral, which can help you build a ton of followers fast. Typically, however, it takes a while. Much of this depends on your marketing abilities, social media skills, and the industry of your trade.
2. You Can Use Your Current Followers to Help You Increase Brand Awareness
In your social media marketing plan, include organic strategies that rely on your current followers to build hype and attract new followers. For example, run free give-away competitions where people earn entry points by liking, sharing, and commenting on your posts. This will ensure people outside of your direct followers see your content.
3. Paid Social Media Marketing is Well-Worth the Cost
As a small or new business owner, you may feel hesitant to spend money on advertising. However, paid social media marketing is incredibly beneficial and educational.
Paid social media marketing allows you to decide how much you want to spend per day, which affects how many people see your ad. Furthermore, you can choose who sees your ad based on age, gender, location, and other factors. Finally, paid ads provide vital feedback about ad performance to help you streamline your marketing message.
4. If You Want Engagement, You Must Engage
One of the lesser-known social media marketing tips centers around engagement. Engagement is key to getting more followers and ranking high on social media algorithms. However, what you may not know is that your profile will be seen by more people if you engage in the app before and after posting.
5. Content Quality Matters
One of the most important social media marketing tips is to spend time creating quality content specifically for your target audience. The purpose of content marketing is to establish a stronger connection or relationship with consumers. Make sure the content you’re creating is on-message with their ideas, beliefs, and values.
Just as importantly, your content needs to provide value to your audience in some way. You could create helpful tutorial videos, provide sage advice, etc. They also need to be creative, unique, and engaging.
6. Social Media Platforms Use Algorithms to Dictate Views
Lastly, remember that social media marketing depends on algorithms, just like SEO marketing. As noted earlier, part of this has to do with your own personal engagement. However, algorithms also rely on hashtags (Instagram), keywords (Pinterest), and more.
Learn how each social marketing platform works to maximize your marketing results.
Want More Help With Social Media Marketing?
Do you want to up your social media marketing game? There’s no reason you can’t build a strong online presence, especially if you learn how to take advantage of social media. If you don’t have any experience, we recommend reaching out to a digital marketing agency to help you get started.
Before you go, check out some of our free marketing guides. You can also talk to us directly to discuss your business needs. Contact us today, we’d love to help.
