Social media marketing is one of the best ways for a company to advertise to its customer base and to acquire new customers. Almost everyone is on at least one form of social media these days. From high schoolers to baby boomers, social media is where people of all ages can follow their friends, family, and favorite brands.
According to brandwatch.com, by the end of 2019, there were 3.725 billion active social media users. They also shared that, on average, people have 7.6 social media accounts. In addition, users spend an average of 142 minutes per day on social media. Every business should be marketing on multiple social media channels. Here are 5 tips that can help businesses find success when advertising on social media.
Use Multiple Platforms
Businesses should be active on multiple social media platforms. The reason for this is because different platforms can be used to reach different customers. For example, Facebook is a great way to advertise your brand to adults, but a lot of high schoolers don’t have Facebook. Being on Instagram or Snapchat is a good way to reach a younger audience.
Also, platforms have different features that can help advertise your brand. For example, on Facebook, you can create events that people can RSVP to, which is a great way to get people actively involved with your brand. Instagram stories contain polls where you can survey your customers and gain their insight. Twitter is a good place to put out those important one-liners like “sale this weekend!”
Post Frequently
There is a fine line between posting too much and not posting enough. The key is to find that sweet spot to ensure user engagement is at its highest. Typically, a business should aim to post once a day on each of their social media platforms. When it comes to Instagram and Facebook stories, it is ok to post more frequently. It is also important to keep up with the consistency of your posts. If you post every day for a few weeks and then stop, you will lose followers and engagement.
The best way to maintain a consistent posting routine is to plan ahead. Create a calendar where you write down what you will post each day. This is a great time to brainstorm weekly or monthly themes. In addition, some social media platforms like Facebook allow you to pre-schedule posts. Sit down at the beginning of each week to get your posts scheduled and then you won’t have to worry about them!
Interact with Followers
Interacting with followers on social media is very important. This is a great way to show that you provide good customer service, digitally. Here are some effective ways to engage with your followers:
- Always respond to their direct messages within 24 hours (sooner if possible)
- Respond to comments. If someone pays you a compliment, say thank you. If someone has a question, answer it. If someone makes a complaint, provide them with an email address or phone number where they can contact you to discuss things further. Customers will appreciate that their comments are heard and answered.
- If a customer posts on their own feed and tags you, like their post and then repost it on your feed or story.
- Friend some of your loyal customers and engage with their posts.
- Create polls and surveys that require your followers to interact with your brand.
- Add question boxes to Instagram stories to learn more about your customers. Be sure to respond to their answers. These questions can be related to your brand, such as, “which blend of our coffee is your go-to each morning?” or could be more general, like, “what is your favorite part of autumn?” The idea is to get your customers engaging with your posts.
- Go live on Instagram. This is a chance for your followers to put a face with your brand and to get their questions answered in real time.
Run Occasional Giveaways/Contests
A good way to increase your customer base is to run occasional contests and giveaways. The idea is that you give away a free or discounted product or service to a user who enters the contest. People typically enter by liking the photo, following your brand, and then tagging a friend in the comments section. For example, a construction company could post, “Follow us, like this photo, and tag a friend who needs construction services to enter to win 15% off your next needed construction service.” This is a way to get people interacting with your post/brand, and through the tagging you will gain new followers as well as, hopefully, new customers.
Invest in Paid Ads
Paid social media ads are one of the best ways for a company to advertise their products and services. Organic posts reach your followers, but paid ads will reach social media users outside of your followers. You can target your ads to people based on their age, gender, location, interests, and past behaviors (ex: visiting your website). Ads should always be eye-catching and informative and provide links to your website where users can learn more information.
Social media marketing is crucial for businesses to stay relevant in today’s digital world. Sit down with your team and create a social media strategy so that you can gain new customers and increase your sales. Through using multiple platforms, posting frequently, engaging customers through posts and giveaways, and investing in paid ads, you will quickly see how valuable social media advertising can be. For more information about social media marketing and how it can help your business, contact Sonny Ahuja today.
