Do you find navigating social media platforms impossible? Not sure how they can help your business? Social media platforms are the new way people find and purchase products from businesses globally. Today, fewer people watch TV advertisements, trawl through internet search results, or read newspapers to discover new brands. Instead, they look at their phones and flick through their social media apps to discover what they need.
If your business is not on social media, you are immediately losing to the competition that is. Over 3.8 billion people have social media accounts and use them daily. By simply marketing your products online, this increases your reach exponentially and boosts your potential customer base. And the best part? Marketing on social media is free to do! No more need for large advertising budgets to feature for a split second on TV, you can post your products and services for free online.
But how do I market effectively on social media? Is every platform the same? With over five different applications, ranging from the aesthetic picture app Instagram to the business networking app LinkedIn, every platform is unique and different. This means that you need to be able to alter your content for every social media platform, which can be a confusing and difficult process. Luckily for you, we have created a simple list of how to use each social media application and why. So read on!
Instagram is the app to be on. With an 84% engagement rate, Instagram is one of the most popular and in-demand social media platforms out there. Instagram has 1.15 billion users, which is a lot of people that could find and connect with your business.
Take more photos! Instagram is an app that is based solely on aesthetic and creative photos. Your pictures should be engaging and promote your products in a positive way. People scroll through Instagram quickly, so your posts should be fun and unique in order to capture the attention of potential customers. Think about using bright colours, unusual settings and bold captions. Or consider including cute dogs, everyone loves cute dogs.
Instagram does have captions, so it is beneficial that they are utilised correctly. Whilst Instagram has the capability to allow you to write long and detailed captions, don’t. Keep your writing short, concise and to the point. Also utilise hashtags effectively, so that people can find your products when searching Instagram (we have a blog post for how to use hashtags correctly).
Another great feature of Instagram is Instagram Stories. These are short, personal videos that you take from your phone, that last for only 24 hours on your account. This can be a fun way to interact with customers, show your daily work life, and promote new products and services. Try and keep these quick, easy to watch, and creative. Instagram Stories has a range of features that allow your business to connect with customers such as, swipe-up links directly to your website, question boxes and polls. Take a look, play around, and have a go at creating unique content that forms a close bond with your audience!
Tweet, Tweet. Tweet, Tweet. No, that’s not the sound of a bird outside your office, that’s actually thousands of brands using Twitter daily to effectively market their business!
Twitter is a unique social media platform that helps build a connection between you and your customers and ensures that they are always informed. Twitter is a great way to update your customers on recent improvements, products, promotions, and more. If you need to tell your customers something, then Twitter is the place for you.
Unlike many of the other social media applications, Twitter uses short-form captions that tell your audience information quickly and in a quirky manner. With only 280 characters to work with, you have a small amount of space to make a lasting impact. Whilst Twitter can be solely used as a bland, information machine, if you can create fun and witty ways to market your business then that will be more effective. Take a look at some of the fast-food companies on Twitter, they often exchange witty banter with one another, helping to boost all of their products simultaneously.
It’s helpful to be a user on Twitter before launching your business’s online presence so that you understand exactly how to use it. So set up an account, follow key figures and leading businesses to learn how they utilise the platform to market their business effectively.
Think of Facebook as like a café; it’s an opportunity to network and meet new people, it’s a fun and casual environment, and people are there to enjoy their time. Facebook marketing should encompass all three of these ideas. Don’t make your marketing materials too serious as people just aren’t interested. Instead, make your marketing material conversational, creative and engaging.
Get familiar with the layout. Whilst Facebook isn’t solely an image-based platform like Instagram, photos do capture the attention of interested users. Facebook’s layout enables you to create interesting and unique images that can serve as a basis for people to become invested in your business.
Unlike your commute to work, traffic can be slightly less on Facebook unless you engage with their advertising scheme. Facebook offers you the opportunity to formulate an advertising strategy that is effective and inexpensive. This can help boost your products and website to a large consumer base, making them a great option for your business. Simple!
- YouTube
Video marketing? YouTube is the place to be. YouTube is the hub for video content production and is a great way of providing informative videos, that you can also embed onto your website. Whilst you could have a video go viral on YouTube, which would increase sales and exposure exponentially, it is unlikely this would happen. Instead, focus on your customers.
Think about who your customers are, what they would like to watch, why they would like to watch your videos, and how you could make it entertaining for them. Yes, whilst informing people of your business is important, it is also integral that customers have fun watching your videos. No one wants to watch ten minutes of bland and boring information, do they?
Consider also using YouTube to connect with your customers better. Make videos where customers get to meet your employees or a series on how your products get made. These types of videos can be fun to make, creative and allow your customers to form an emotional connection to your business, creating loyalty.
Remember, YouTube is a platform for creativity and unique content, so have fun with your videos!
LinkedIn isn’t just for networking with other professionals, it can also be a place to market your business!
LinkedIn can help you build brand awareness and relationships with your customers. LinkedIn is a slightly more serious social media platform so ensure that whilst your content is engaging, it isn’t too silly. Consider posting content that engages other like-minded business owners and participate in open discussions. This will help you to form connections with other businesses as well as create trust with your customers.
Whilst LinkedIn may not be your first choice for brand marketing, businesses that utilise it generate 277% more leads on average than those who rely on Facebook alone! LinkedIn is a great place to share news about your business, promote blog posts and articles, and inform your customers on upcoming promotions and changes.
Social media platforms are a great and constructive way to market your business and brand online. They help you to connect with existing customers and reach new audiences. Remember to use a few different platforms to market your business, alter your content according to the platform, and ensure that what you post is engaging and creative. So, get posting and have fun marketing your business online!
If you’re unsure as to how to market your business effectively across the different social media platforms, then consider checking out the Elite Words Facebook page or LinkedIn profile for inspiration. If you would like further help then contact Elite Words today!
