Technology has altered the social landscape of the world. It’s changed the way we interact, shop, get the news, and entertain ourselves. It’s changed the way consumers research products and make purchases. The fact is people only read or watch what they want. Given that, how do you build brand awareness without a captive audience?
The Power of Social Media Marketing
When consumers don’t have to view advertisements, they typically won’t. At the same time, social media has emerged as a dynamic medium for conversation, entertainment, and information. It’s also a powerful instrument for building brand awareness and an essential part of your search engine optimization strategy.
But the rules have changed. Invasive marketing is no longer effective. A successful social media strategy draws heavily on the latest inbound marketing research and techniques. You want your clients and potential clients to perceive value in their interactions with you. You want them to share it with their friends and family. This is the core of an effective social media marketing strategy.
Brand Awareness
The purpose of launching a skillfully designed social media strategy is to build brand awareness. What hasn’t changed about building brand awareness is the goal: getting your brand name and logo in front of as many people as possible. What has changed is how you do it. A well-crafted social media presence will generate brand awareness across the internet for your company. It’s a powerful marketing tool, when it’s done right.
The Value Proposition
Sharing on social media outlets as a business is different than traditional advertising. Think about it like a backyard barbeque with all your clients and potential clients. Everyone is casually talking and having a good time. Everyone is also avoiding that one crazy uncle trying to sell you energy. You don’t want prospects to avoid you like the crazy uncle, so make sure you add value with each interaction. The content needs to be high quality, useful, and engaging. You need to share often, and your readers need to feel they’re receiving something valuable to them.
Variety is Essential
It’s important you are sharing consistently and often. It’s also important to have a variety in the content you share. Generate and find useful, educational content. Mix it up with something fun and light. Make sure to include video and images. Find out what topics interest your target audience, and deliver meaningful related content. Your goal is to become a source of valuable information to them. You are building a relationship. Less frequently, sprinkle in information about your products and services. You want them to come back to you when they’re looking for information.
Utilize Multiple Mediums
People are spending a lot of time on multiple social media platforms, so you need a presence wherever they are. Every article, post, and video you share is an opportunity to drive traffic to your website through link building. You really want to be on as many mediums you can that your target audience is using. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram are among the most popular. But it’s important to build your presence where your target audience already is. A firm that offers content management services will design and manage a social media strategy that’s right for you.
Increase Sales Opportunities By Not Selling… at First
It may seem counterintuitive at first, but an effective social media strategy isn’t constant sales attempts. People don’t go to social media to hear a sales pitch. They go to social media to relax, connect with others, and for entertainment. If they don’t like something, they move on to something else. Your goal is to provide interesting, fun, and useful information about the topics they’re already interested in. You will build credibility, authority, and loyalty. Granted, this will result in increased sales and conversion opportunities down the line. You just can’t begin there.
Building Your Brand Across the Internet
A successful social media marketing strategy is central to overall search engine optimization. Search engines like seeing content shared and reshared often. Maintaining a consistent and steady posting schedule across multiple social media platforms drives users back to your website. Your brand awareness is spread wherever your content is reshared.
Get in the Conversation
Your target audience is spending a large amount of time on social media. It’s a powerful platform for building brand awareness and generating sales opportunities. If you’re not doing it, your competition will. Consider adding social media marketing to your business plan today. For more information on social media marketing and SEO strategies, Contact Us.
