In this age of hyper-connectivity, if your brand does not have a social media presence, it’s losing on all the dividends that come with this digital age. No matter how unique your product is, it is quite important to stay connected with your customers. Nothing provides a better platform for this than social media. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc all have created the virtual space where companies are directly interacting with their consumers. To ignore such an opportunity will be a losing marketing strategy for any business, to say the least.
What exactly is Social Media Marketing?
Have you ever noticed the random ads that pop up while you are scrolling through social media? It is highly likely that you have even clicked a few of them. Social Media Marketing or SMM is a form of internet marketing that uses social media platforms to showcase a company’s product and to keep the brand socially relevant. Most platforms contain in-built data analytics tools, which enable businesses to track the progress, reach, and engagement of a campaign. SMM combines branding, advertising, sales, etc all under one roof. The best part is that everything can be done on a shoestring budget. Postings in the form of texts, images, videos, etc help to grow user engagement of the product or service in the long run.
Social Media Marketing over others:
Thanks to social media, it doesn’t take much time and effort to circulate an idea from the remotest corner of the Earth to the entire planet. As a marketer, your goal should be to harness this very power that comes with the usage of social media.
Unlike olden days when companies had to invest big bucks to mark their presence, small companies and startups can also create a strong presence on the Web with minimal investments initially. Businesses can also vie for opportunities in places other than their present location as ads can reach anywhere. In India itself, internet access has multiplied with the significant decrease in its price. Moreover, with the advent of smart phones, social media usage has become so much easier.
Thus, the exposure that comes with social media is unparalleled. Compare this to traditional forms of marketing, like billboards. Not only is the cost high but it’s also limited to a single place. On the other hand, a social media campaign run on one part of the world can reach millions in minutes.
Possibly, the best feature of social media marketing is the way it can be targeted towards your audience of choice. No other form of marketing has been this effective in segmenting the market than SMM. For instance, a buyer who already made a purchase will be targeted with other products and services that a company has to offer, while a consumer just mulling over the product can be influenced to make a purchase over time.
All insights related to this will be systemically available and can be analyzed to understand consumer behavior. No wonder social media marketing is a great tool to create a credible reputation, attract potential customers, and drive traffic to your website, among other things.
Getting the bang for your buck
Social media marketing is a great tool to meet your targets and create a great brand. However, to get the maximum out of your social media marketing campaign, there are certain aspects to be kept in mind. Firstly, you need to keep your postings regular. For credibility, it is necessary that you keep putting up content that increases your user engagement and eventually provide leads for your business. For instance, in today’s date, a photographer’s Instagram profile doubles up as his/her portfolio and many a deals are brokered on the basis of it.
Secondly, it is not always necessary to post original content. Sometimes posting relevant stuff from other blogs (with proper credit, of course!) is also a great way to increase engagement. These are called popular content and sometimes can get you better engagement than your own content (which isn’t so bad after all!).
Finally, if you think social media marketing takes up too much of your time, worry not! It is not essential to handle all social media related work on your own. You can actually hire people to do that for you. Digital Marketing Agencies, for example, can take care of your social media campaigns and deliver effective results, sans all the hassle.
The bigger and more connected your audience is, the easier it is to hit every single marketing target on your list. No matter the kind of product or service you are dealing with, if you still think social media marketing is not important for your business, it is time to get out of your cocoon and explore the multiple avenues that social media has to offer.