Social media marketing involves promoting your brand through social media channels and is a competitive, interesting and powerful strategy that will get you links, attention and massive amounts of traffic. Marketing is all about building relationships. New web tools like blogging, micro-blogging, social networking, podcasting, video distribution, event coordination tools, wikis and photo sharing sites allow businesses to communicate, educate and share information directly with existing and potential customers.
A popular misconception is that the social media, like traditional marketing channels, is all about selling a product. However, it is more about reaching your audience, engaging with them and developing a bond with customers.
Social media’s direct communication distinction serves and supports business as it brings the people you want to attract to you and makes direct participation, genuine engagement and a two-way communication possible. What’s more social media attracts far more traffic than search engines. This gives you freedom from paid advertising formats which are overloaded with unnecessary commercial overtones. What’s worth highlighting here is that the investments are mostly limited to just time, while the benefits derived far exceed costs.
Let’s look at how at the various ways you can leverage social media for your marketing efforts.
Content is the king in social media. Blogs are the simplest and most effective tool to interact with customers and invite comments to actively increase interest and create brand awareness. Networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can be used a media tool to engage customers by sharing news, reports, stories and so on. The simplest and most effective strategy is to integrate these social media platforms to create multi touch points and promote viral marketing. Facebook and LinkedIn are well known platforms that can help you expand your presence and reach out to existing and new customers through interactive polls, quizzes and fan pages that create interest. Another significant approach that is central to your social media marketing strategy is to participate in interactive activities across existing social media accounts of similar businesses, customers, partners and potential customers. You could post blogs, make comments, share links, participate in polls or be an active member in their social media communities. This creates a push-pull effect in the online social market and projects you as an engaging brand that appeals to customers.
What everyone needs to understand is that, social media marketing is no rocket science that requires a geek’s expertise. It is something every one can do with some effort and knowledge. And best of all, everyone is invited to the party!
