With over ninety-seven percent of all consumers researching a business or brand online, it is easy to see why everyone from a national car dealership to the local bakery is using social media to connect with consumers.
And it is statistics like that which make ‘getting social’ almost impossible to avoid as a business owner. or entrepreneur.
So what’s holding you back from diving in?
If you still don’t feel social media is right for your business, take a look at these numbers. They might sway your thinking.
- Seventy-two percent of adult Internet users in the United States are now active on at least one social network. That is up from sixty-seven percent in 2012 and just eight percent in 2005.
- Social media generates almost double the marketing leads of trade show, telemarketing, daily mail, or PPC. Double!
- Ninety-three percent of online research begins with a search engine.
- Sixty-eight percent of consumers say they check out a company or brand on social media before buying.
- Sixty percent of LinkedIn users have clicked on an ad and forty-three percent of United States marketers have obtained at least one new customer through LinkedIn.
- Fifty percent of consumers on Facebook and Twitter are not only ready to recommend, but more likely to buy from businesses and brands they are actively following.
Those statistics certainly tell one heck of a story, don’t they?
Whether you run a large company or you own a one-man shop, social media is your online connection to consumers and potential clients.
Use Social Media to Build Your Business
1. Build Your List
Building an email or subscriber list should be a key objective in your social media marketing goals for 2014. Not only does it allow you to stay top-of-mind, but expands your reach as those loyal to your brand are likely to share your email.
Use your social networks to promote an incentive, giveaway or contest. A free Ebook that includes valuable tips you have collected over the years with your target market is a great way to get people to opt-in, while positioning you as an expert within your field.
Let’s face it. We all love free stuff, especially eBooks that are easy to download and digest. Just remember, your book does not need to be lengthy, just relevant and content-rich.
Try a free service like Mailchimp to create lists, build newsletters and powerful email announcements that can be tracked and followed within their analytics dashboard.
2. Position Your Brand
Getting social and building your personal brand will begin to establish you as the local expert and a trustworthy resource as consumers increasingly look to the Internet for advice.
With a social media referral often taking precedence over any other type of referral, it is more imperative than ever that your business be visible, accessible and readily available.
Herbert Simon, an American economist said that “with every abundance comes a new scarcity.”
With the abundance of social media channels comes the challenge for marketers to cut through the chatter and have get their voice heard.
The overwhelming amount of choices consumers have available with the click of a button or a simple search can make this a daunting task, but one well worth your time and effort. Images are a perfect way to build brand authority and streamline your look and feel.
Use a tool like PicMonkey to turn a stock image into a branded graphic. Which would you rather post across your social media networks?
3. Know Who & Where Your Target Market Is
Knowing where to find your target market means you must identify your niche. Once you know the answer to who your clients are and where they are spending their time, you must identify their needs, wants and desires.
Determining this is your first step to maintaining focus and keeping your message targeted and effective.
Fight the feeling that you must be everything to everyone when you first begin. Start small and then grow your market or niche.
When it comes to marketing your business online, success comes from a willingness to give valuable information in a consistent and easily accessible manner. Biting off more than you can chew will make for an overwhelming amount of research and a feeling of defeat as you battle to stay on top of all your obligations.
Stay consistent with tools that allow you to research and schedule posts in advance. One of my absolute favorite tools is Buffer. Buffer takes the guess work out of your posting strategy.
4. Be Picky When Choosing Your Social Sites
While it is tempting to every social networking site, realize that you do not need to be on every one initially.
Take social media in small, bite-sized chunks and determine where you can get the most exposure based on where your potential customers are spending their time. Master that site and then move on to the next one.
Determine:
- Where your target audience is spending their time
- If that particular social site is worth investigating (how many people are involved and is valuable information being shared)
- Why you believe this is the right social site for your business
- How much time you can realistically commit to it on a daily and weekly basis without feeling stretched
5. Know That It’s All Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Just because one social media site is hot today does not mean it will be hot tomorrow.
In social media there will always be the new “shiny toy” looking to steal your attention. If you answer the questions above and determine that a certain social site is a viable option for your business, then stick with it.
It takes time to build your business and personal brand online. Relationships do not happen overnight. Stick with it and your hard work will pay off.
6. Get Organized!
An efficient and effective strategy is an organized one.
There are many time saving social media strategies that will keep your efforts focused and organized. Effectively building your social media presence is a commitment, so take the time to put systems in place that organize your social media sites and the amount of time you waste in and on them.
Use a content calendar to establish your social media marketing strategy for 2014. Not sure how to build one? Here’s step-by-step instruction.
Rebekah
Very insightful post. A good idea for a future post would be building trust with Social Media. As there are disingenuous factors on the web.
Social is HUGE! Thanks for the article! 😀
Rebekah, Excellent advice and something most people fail to take into account. Don’t just fire out social media comments and posts but form a strategy for your social media marketing. Keep up the good work 🙂
Hi Rebekah, I know the weeks that I actually fill out my editorial calendar, are the weeks I’m most productive on social media. Otherwise, I kind of just let things go, it’s so easy to do that. Also, many of us try to spread ourselves too thin, trying to be on all the social media communities.
Rebekah – Great advice. if I can add to it… Make sure you engage in a dialog with your customers in social media rather than bombarding them with marketing messages. One way broadcasting is a quick way to turn off your users and customers.
Rebekah,
These are very great points to remember while marketing. All agreed with!
I would say getting organized is one of the most important of all. As long as we have a plan and stick to it we are on our way. We do have to keep in mind what you have pointed out that social media sites change so often.
We just have to keep in mind to be flexible and go with the flow!
-Donna
I;m going to say that the getting organized is one of the most important… although knowing your brand and your target is so important. in my opinion… But your list is well done and one without the other could cause some delays in one’s success!
Building a list is one thing that is often overlooked and undervalued. Good research is another. Great read, thanks.
– Stuart
Hi Rebekah,
The last point ( no 6) actually is the bedrock of all other points listed. Without a disciplined and organized strategy, all those things will not work.
I’m in love with the number 4 points also mentioned. I’m still lacking in all this areas, and with this advice and tips, I’d sure implement them and see how I can achieve similar success rate like yours.
Thanks for sharing.
OMG Rebekah,
The Internet has certainly rebuilt marketing trends all within a short few years. I tried to step away from it for a while to give myself a break and to try an experiment. You can imagine what happened. Plus, I yearned to return to express myself to the masses through my social media connections. Lesson learned, it’s here to stay.
Thanks for your informative post!
RICK
Well said Rebekah and while I completely agree with each of your points, in my mind the most important is the last – get organized! It is so easy – particularly with the big wide world of social media – to spin your wheels with little ROI. Creating a solid plan before you dive in will ensure you make the most of your time and target the right channels to connect with your audience.
Hey Rebekah: Very sound post here. The opening statistics make it clear that engagement is key. Building a list is key. It seems that you have to build so many different lists. For me there are my email contacts, clients, friends. Then LinkedIn, Facebook, Google +, etc. This can get really time consuming. Add in Twittter and Pinterest and man o man this is overwhelming.
I was surprised Mail Chimp is free. Can it do it for all of the above and is there are charge as volume increases?
I am going to now look at your calendar strategy via the link you provide. Anyway, very helpful and informative post. Thanks.