The digital age brought with it digital marketing and social media marketing but while Starting a social media page is exciting, it’s very easy to get lost in the memes and humour that you forget to actually market your product and services. But how do you find the right balance between appealing and annoying? After reading “The future of marketing is contextual”, diving in heart first is very tempting but how much is too much? Social media is dominated by people in the age group of 16 and 34, also known as millennials. Your target market may not necessarily be millennials but it is one of the quickest ways to get your brand out there. They have friends and relatives and even co workers that are in the older generation and recommendations are a powerful tool. So, marketing on social media does not only grow your target market but can expose you to a whole new market that you may not have even known was possible. Here are some insights on marketing in the 21st century
1. Get Personal
Social media users like to feel a connection to their brand. It builds a sense of loyalty to you and makes people feel like you aren’t a large robotic corporation feeding off people’s hard work. Post a picture or video that hits a little close to home. Get the “awws” and “OMGs!” and leave the reader eager to follow and find your next post. This will drive traffic to your page. Once there, people will check your other posts. The posts that have landing pages attached will generate traffic to your website as well. Two birds, one stone!
2. Be Real
The block rate for ads is at an all-time high of 57 percent. Take a sponsored ad for example. Appearing on Twitter. Constantly. Relaying the same message over and over again. Rather than block that ad, most people will block the entire account. That is why your marketing should be authentic. It should be as though a friend is telling another friend about a product over a cup of coffee. This makes people relate and listen and conversion becomes more likely.
3. Engage Your Followers
Even the biggest brands respond to questions posted to them by followers every so often. It’s important to show your customers you care. Post a question thread or simply a single question and RT or share their responses. Engaging with your base also shows how accessible you are. A lot of people would rather send you a message on Facebook messenger or a Twitter Dm rather than call your offices. Be sure to always be ready to give feedback as soon as possible. Studies have shown that 32% of customers expect a response within 30 minutes while 42% expect a response in 60 minutes. This may ask a little too much of your time and it would serve you better to hire a social media consultant or expert.
4. Loosen up
No one wants super serious posts on their timeline ALL THE TIME. Loosen up. Throw in a meme or a joke. Social media might be used for business but it is still social media and people log in to connect, catch up and have a few laughs. Find a trending meme and add a unique caption relating to your industry. A viral post will go a long way. Get people talking over a funny video and that will drive traffic to your page and your websites. There are plenty of apps and sites that allow you to create your own meme from viral pictures out there. Meme generator is the most commonly used one. You don’t have to go from page to page searching for a meme when you could simply create your own.
5. Talk About What They’re Talking About
Every so often there are things that “break the internet”. This particular issue becomes the topic of discussion for days and even weeks. Some years ago, “The Dress” broke the internet for months. People were trying to figure out if it was black and blue or white and gold. EVERYONE was weighing in on the colours of the dress. Now imagine, while all this is going on, your customers come to your timeline to see what you think and you instead are talking about something completely different. It is very important to see what is trending and post something about it as well. It keeps people peeled to your content and sparks engagement.