7 Secrets for Success in Social Media Marketing

Today, companies of every size have realized the importance of being active in social media. More and more enterprises are increasingly harnessing the power of digital media marketing to improve their visibility and profitability.

Statistics say that a large number of companies are depending on social media as their chief digital marketing method. The reason being that it is easier to find new customers in the various online platforms, and network with them. And most importantly, unlike conventional marketing techniques, virtual marketing does not cost the sky. This is the primary reason why even small businesses are turning to social media to market their brand.

If you are looking to be successful in social media marketing, here are some tips.

Craft a proper plan – To start with, it is important that you have a well laid out strategy for social media marketing. It is not enough to be satisfied with the number of likes and retweets your posts have garnered online. You also need to pay attention to the number of leads generated, conversion rates and referrals. It helps to have specific, realistic and measurable goals so that you know where you are going.

Find the best platform – Not every social media platform suits every business. You need to choose the right one for your goals. Here are some of the most popular networks in the world today.

• Facebook – With over 2 billion users, Facebook is the most popular network and has regular users.

• Instagram – Statistics say that the platform has the highest engagement level of all networks. Its success depends on its visual content.

• LinkedIn – This is the best platform to network with like-minded entrepreneurs. It is the largest business network in the world.

• Twitter – The platform is popular for its short and crisp content.

• YouTube – Online videos are the current trend in online marketing and you can definitely leverage on that.

You can determine which platform would suit your business the most. It can be one or multiple platforms. You will need to tailor your content as per the social media sites to attract prospective customers. Many businesses think that they need to be present on every social media platform. This can lead to wastage of time and effort. Instead, it can help to be where your customers are and focus deeply on those networks.

Determine your audience– Every business needs to be aware of their target audience. Factor in the gender, age, place of residence, income bracket and other characteristics of your target audience. This will help you customize your marketing as per the requirements of your target customers.

Selling on social media – Marketing on online platforms is much more than just posting about your brand from time to time. It is important to follow the Pareto Principle (also known as the 80/20 rule) in marketing. It says that 80 percent of your social media content should be about interaction with your customers and sharing content relevant to them. The advertising content of the business should be as low as 20 percent. Focus more on sharing content that adds value, solves the issues your customers are facing and makes life better for them.

Visuals are powerful – No matter which platform you are on – visuals are a great way to draw the attention of your customers. Whether it is memes, images, GIFs or videos, use them more to engage with your customers. Make sure that the visuals are relevant to your brand and customers.

Focus on quality – While it can be tempting to showcase our brand on multiple platforms to reach out to a larger audience, make sure you are not losing out on quality. It is a good idea to focus more on the quality of your content than mere quantity. Go where your target audience is and share informative content with them for the best results.

According to experts, it is better to be a master of one or two platforms than flounder in many. They also opine that for all kinds of businesses, it can be beneficial to first select one platform initially, and really build the brand there and then expand to other platforms.

Remember to respond – To make your brand appear human, it is crucial that you respond promptly to customer queries. If you take long to reply or do not take the time to interact with your target audience, it gives the impression that you are not interested in what they want. This does not create a good impression about your business. Statistics reveal that over 80 percent of customers expect businesses to respond to their social media posts within 24 hours.

Finally, it does help to study the marketing strategy of successful brands and take tips from them. Be inspired by the successes of other businesses and try out some of their techniques and trips, to achieve your desired social media marketing goals.