Ever heard of Social Media Marketing World 2015? It was a huge conference set up by Social Media Examiner, where marketing experts gathered in San Diego to share crucial social media tips for business owners. Ever wondered what the best social network for business is? How to engage potential customers? To help you stay on top of it all, we’ve narrowed it down to 7 key points.
1. Video is the hottest form of content
57% of marketers are currently using video as part of their strategy, but 72% are already planning to use it more! Facebook is fast becoming a major player, as you may notice the once-maligned native video player making more and more appearances on your news feed. Short-form video driven by apps like Instagram and Vine is taking off as a quick and easy strategy that almost any brand can start experimenting with.
2. Visual content is vital for driving traffic
Anything you can do to add visuals to your social posts would be more engaging than plain text and links. Original infographics and photographs are ideal, but mobile apps can also be extremely useful to help you come up with something to make your post stand out.
Some ideas for pictures include testimonials from customers, inspiring quotes, and featuring hashtags in your promo posters. Try to make your post something people will want to share!
3. Be consistent, even if it’s not every day
Tweeting all the time can dilute your content and very rarely pays off, so it’s much better to go for quality over quantity. Even if you post once a week to each of your channels, make sure your post contains plenty of engaging and helpful material. This way, people will actually want to check for your updates!
4. Facebook is great for organic reach
The more people interact with your Facebook post, the more people it will be shown to, so it can grow exponentially. Some experts suggest that hashtags aren’t particularly useful once you have established your page. The strength of your writing and visuals is really the only key to getting more success on this network – you can even recycle your best posts later and see if they reach users who missed them before.
5. Pinterest is a powerful search tool
Some experts have mentioned the idea of Pinterest becoming the new Google! While we think this is a bit of an exaggeration, lots of people actually use it as their primary tool for finding content. It also has the highest conversion rate of any social network. Longevity is key – if you pin something with the right keywords (not so much hashtags), it will turn up in search results for months or even years. The platform is still something of an underdog so it’s the perfect time to hop on the trend.
6. Approach social media as a fan, not a salesperson
A great starting point is to take a step back and consider what your customers or fans are posting about and searching for. People don’t come to your profile because they feel like spending money. They just want to see more of what they like! Entertaining and insightful content always works best to avoid looking like a faceless marketer, so experiment with behind-the-scenes photos and “throwbacks” that your fans can relate to.
7. Turn complaints into recommendations
Dissatisfied customers may use your pages to vent their frustration. If they do, remember that 71% of online complainers were disappointed with service they received offline. In other words, they’re coming to give you a second chance! If you take the opportunity to get their issue resolved, you’ll have some of your most vocal customers back on your side.
Facebook is by far the biggest platform for this, with nearly 75% of social media complaints being posted there. Grab the chance with both hands, as many experts predict customer service will be a bigger brand differentiator than price by 2020! Don’t forget, the last thing you want your customers to see is an unanswered complaint on your public page.
Staying on top of digital marketing can be tricky even for experts, but with a bit of guidance and our practical social media tips, anyone can start seeing results. Give it a try, or for more information just get in touch with us at 123 Ranking. We offer social media setup and maintenance services to help you out with the workload, and can even offer detailed training to help you master your channels. Drop us a line today and find out what we can do for you!
