If you haven’t already noticed, the world has gone social. There’s social holidays shared via skype, social dating apps for your everyday romantic and social media for the rest of us that love to share our collective thoughts and experiences. In response, a shift has occurred in how businesses and industries target their consumers. Social media allows you to join in by engaging with an audience that consists of, well, just about everyone! With so much opportunity in the social realm, a few methods for making the most of it have cropped up.
Here are 5 social media use methods that are sure to see you getting ahead:
Sharing with those of influence
Whether we like to admit it or not, there are individuals in this world that just have a better social rank than we do. Rather than feel insecure, let’s use those individuals to our advantage! A number of smart marketers have begun working with these thought leaders to gain exposure to their large following. If you do a little research and notice that topics have come up in social media that are relevant to your brand, find out who the big hitters are for that realm and how you can get into the conversation with them. Getting shared by these individuals will help make your mark with the help of those that are already established.
Keeping tabs on the competition
Now we’re not saying you need to compare your follower number with that of your competitor, rather, use the successes of those in your industry to discover what may work and what definitely will not. If your competitor has been around on that social media platform a little longer, there’s nothing wrong with getting your feet wet by using similar tactics until you get the hang of it yourself. You can also then compare your reach and impact right along with your competitor to see how you’ve improved over “x” amount of days, months, and years.
Picking the perfect speaking podium
It’s important to differentiate between various social media platforms. For example, you can’t post a novel about why your brand is best over Twitter. This social media site is meant for short, tidbits of thoughts that will encourage your followers to think a little. Instagram is for the visually-driven. Don’t think you fall into that category? Perhaps hard hitting industry posts on LinkedIn is more your cup of tea. Whichever social media platform you choose, you will be gaining the advantage of tapping into the specific mindset of that platform. Being able to disseminate your message in these varying voices is key to creating a well-rounded web presence.
Making your brand personal
Did we mention social is like one big meet and greet? Social media allows us to see what is being talked about and how people feel about things in the marketplace. Take advantage of this by join in the conversation (without being too forward) and get to know the individuals participating in your industry. This will go a long way in allowing people to see you more as a person and not just a brand name. Take it a step further and start your own conversations as well, inviting others to get to know beyond the business level.
Top tier insights without the price
Thanks to social media, we can openly communicate with individuals in our target market to get a sense of how our brand is being portrayed. Larger companies with endless green have no problem funding extensive market research. Luckily, social media gives us the chance to get those same insights without the big time investment. You can communicate casually about a product or service and get individual perceptions on the spot. People are more inclined to engage with information about your product because there is no risk in cost or time. Most of these insights are as good, if not better, than what a survey or focus group could tell you.
Doesn’t this all sound great? And it can be yours at a cost of, wait for it, practically nothing! Join the fun and add social marketing to your strategy in the New Year. The methods we’ve provided are sure to bring your social media platforms the edge you’ve been looking for!
Digital & Social Articles on Business 2 Community(30)
