The digital revolution in recent decades has enriched the already saturated marketing pool of old – television, radio, paper ads, city lights, etc. Nowadays, you have numerous online and offline channels of communication at your disposal, ready and willing to bring your brand closer to the consumer market and position your company in the hearts and minds of your target demographic.
One of the most powerful marketing tools in the increasingly online universe is, of course, social media. Given the fact that approximately three billion people use some form of social media on a daily basis, it only stands to reason that you should tap into this seemingly endless pool of opportunities. Let’s assume that you already grasp the sheer might of SM marketing and take a look at how you can incorporate it into your omni-channel marketing program.
Align your SM accounts with your brand identity
Much like opening any department in your company, you need to determine the end goal it should achieve, and determine the strategies and accompanying tactics that will make these goals feasible. Social media is no different, and you want to determine what it is exactly that you want to achieve by integrating social media into your marketing strategy.
Is it brand recognition? Is it overall reach? Is it your click-through rate that you want to boost and drive people to your website? Or is it all of the above and more? It’s probably all of it. To achieve this beautiful synergy between these elements, you will need to learn how to use social media in a way that portrays your brand and its unmistakable identity in the best possible light. That means choosing relevant channels, enforcing strict SM management policies, and discovering your SM demographic.
Invest in social media discovery
Social media discovery is the not-so-simple act of finding your place in the online universe, and understanding the preferences and likes/dislikes of your digital audience. You want to deal not only with the how, but with the why as well. You want to understand why your audience is on social media, and what they want to achieve by using these platforms.
In addition, it’s important to discover which social media platform the members of your demographic use most, and why. This will help you determine the best approach that will reel them in towards your brand, without the risk of spooking them in the process. Remember, the modern customer does not put up with intrusive brands, but would rather like to be swayed with amazing content and relatable stories.
Build a strong SM content strategy
By far, your no. 1 priority on social media should be to build a strong pull strategy using stellar content. A prime example of excellent content marketing for social media is the Australian market. In the Land Down Under, agencies specializing in copywriting in Sydney and other prominent cities aim to create a content strategy that combines your brand identity, tone of voice, and visuals, with the immaculate and relatable storytelling for maximum customer engagement.
Needless to say, this is not something that’s easily achieved, as inbound marketing has become an art form in its own right. You need to stay consistent across all of your social media channels, and also prove your worth to the online audience by supplying them with relevant, high-quality content that will raise your brand awareness and position you as the top authority in the industry. This requires a delicate touch and a creative mind.
Find the perfect combination of SM channels
Not all social media platforms were created equal, and not all work well for different types of brands. It’s not the same thing to post on Snapchat and LinkedIn as a legal firm. Likewise, posting on LinkedIn as a theatre company instead of Facebook and Instagram could be extremely counterproductive.
This is why finding the right combination of SM channels for your business will be essential. It will also help you correlate your SM efforts with your overall online and offline marketing programs.
Measure results and feed your innovation process
Finally, there is a need to track the performance of your social media efforts and adjust your strategy along with its accompanying tactics accordingly. Remember, if nothing changes, everything stays the same, so if you want to grow you will need to grow your social media presence as well.
In achieving this, you will need to monitor your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that will tell you exactly how your SM campaigns are doing, and whether you should keep it up or restructure your strategy. Ultimately, this will help you boost traffic to your website and increase conversions.
Social media marketing is a powerful tool every 21st century business should have in its arsenal. By integrating SM marketing into your omni-channel marketing program, you will effectively expand your brand reach and pave the road to long-term success in the industry.
Guest Author Bio
My name is Raul, editor in chief at Technivorz blog. I have a lot to say about innovations in all aspects of digital technology and online marketing. You can reach me out on Twitter.
