Digital marketing has become the norm for brands big and small. That shows no sign of slowing down in the coming years, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the way people now consume more information and spend more money online.
Digital marketing covers a variety of platforms, from SEO and content marketing to video and website marketing.
One of the most important and effective ways to enhance your marketing strategy, however, is through social media. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are often used as central hubs for consumers to talk about brands and products they love while researching brands they might be interested in.
One survey found that 54% of social browsers use social media to research products. It’s a great way to tell people about your brand or company, but it’s also a digital platform for “word of mouth” advertising, which you already know is worth its weight in gold from a marketing standpoint.
But, exactly how can social media enhance your current marketing strategy, and what should you be doing to capitalize on that?
It Builds a Better Brand
Social media marketing is crucial for all businesses. But, it’s especially important if you’re just getting into the game or you’re trying to build your brand from the ground up. Businesses can leverage social media by:
- Tracking sales and user behavior with analytics
- Promoting content
- Engaging your audience
- Nurturing leads
- Being transparent
- Offering customer support
Because social media covers a wide variety of networks, you can promote your brand in multiple places and reach different audiences in each area. The same people who follow you on Twitter might not be the same ones who follow you on Instagram, so you have the unique opportunity to create original content for every platform and a wider target audience.
Using social media management tools like Hootsuite or Buffer makes it easy to manage all of your content in one convenient location, so you’re not spending countless hours posting content on each platform.
However, that doesn’t mean your posts should have a “set it and forget it” mentality behind them. Social media isn’t just about posting relevant content. While that’s important, remember that these platforms aren’t your website or blog. That brings us to the next way social media can enhance your marketing strategy…
It Humanizes Your Business
The average person can see up to 10,000 advertisements each day – including digital ones. Social media advertisements are effective, but they’re not really the main reason why social media is so important for your brand.
The real reason? Using these platforms allows your business to have its own persona. Even when you use ads, it’s just the beginning. If someone clicks on one of those advertisements and makes it to your Facebook page, for example, they’ll see other content that you’ve posted engaging your audience. They might want to ask a question, and you can answer them directly from your page.
That kind of connection and “humanistic” quality is something consumers crave. Many people want to feel a sense of connection with the brands they trust, and while different hooks can grab their attention, it’s the service you provide afterward that can turn potential consumers into loyal fans. Try including the following in your social media strategy to boost engagement and improve your business’ “personal” qualities:
- Hosting live Q&A sessions
- Showing behind-the-scenes videos
- Responding to questions quickly
- Addressing customer service issues publicly (when appropriate)
- Sharing content that will get people involved in discussions
When consumers know there is a real person behind the screen, they’re more likely to want to hear what your brand has to say, and they’re more likely to trust you when they feel like they can reach out at any time. After all, social media is supposed to be social. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of that as a business.
You Can Track Your ROI
Almost every type of digital marketing is trackable. That’s what makes it so great for learning as much as possible about your target audience. Social media is unique, however, in that it directly lets you track your investment from specific marketing campaigns.
On Facebook, for example, you can run an ad campaign and quickly track how well it’s performing versus how much you’re spending on it. That does more than help you to hone in on your target audience. It helps you to determine how you should tweak your advertisements, moving forward. You can dive deeper into the campaigns that do well and start to utilize more of them to increase your ROI.
So, while social media is very much a “casual tool” on the surface, it’s something that can also be very data-driven and analytical, from a marketing standpoint. With that being said, don’t be afraid to have fun with it. People expect a more casual, comfortable tone when they’re on a social media platform. Use social media to find your brand’s true voice, and you’ll connect with your audience better than you ever have before.