The top two benefits of social media marketing are increasing exposure and increasing traffic. Avoiding social media marketing means missing a huge opportunity to connect with an immense audience. (3)
1. A Website
2. Almost certainly, Facebook.
It's not hard to set up a Facebook business page, but remember you are representing your business or organization.
- Take the time to fill out all of the boxes on the info page.
- Supply both a cover image and a profile image that represent your organization. Make sure they fit.
- Use conventional grammar and spelling.
- Post regularly -- not necessarily every day, but at least twice a week. A "dead" page is worse than no page at all.
- Keep the posts relevant to your business -- not personal, unless that's appropriate.
- Use images whenever possible.
- Keep posts as short as possible.
- Network! "Like" other businesses and organizations, and share their posts.
- Remember to maintain professional customer service protocol when interacting with clients on Facebook.
- Be yourself! Have a personality! Be creative! Have FUN!
It helps to have a plan!
- Create a calendar and mark when you plan to post and what you plan to post about.
- Keep an eye on user response, and tweak your plan to make the most of what's working.
FAQ's:
1. Why should I use social media if I already have a website?
2. How do I know if it's working?
3. How do I get more Likes?
4. Should I use Facebook ads or Promote my posts?
5. What do I do if someone badmouths my business or complains online?
Sources:
1. Pew Internet and American Life Research Project. http://www.pewinternet.org/
2. Facebook Newsroom. "Key Facts."
http://newsroom.fb.com/Key-Facts
3. Stelzner, Michael. "2013 SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING INDUSTRY REPORT."
SocialMediaExaminer.com.
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/SocialMediaMarketingIndustryReport2013.pdf
Social Media Marketing: Just the Basics
Where Do I Start?
How Do I Know What Kind of Social Media Marketing I Need?
Who are you trying to reach?
- Facebook is the most popular social media platform and has integrated powerful new search features.
- LinkedIn is a professional community, with an audience of educated, experienced adults.
- Twitter is used by a far smaller percentage of Internet users, mostly in the 18-29 range, but has the unique ability to spread information instantly.
- Google+ isn't used as widely yet, but because Google is a search engine, an active Google+ page can lead to increased website traffic.
- There are many other social media platforms, each of which has unique features and draws a specific demographic.
What Is Social Marketing?
What Next?
- Social marketing includes Websites, Blogs, Email Blasts, Newsletters, Event Calendars, Social Media, Networking, and more.
- Social Marketing is NOT Free.
- Social Marketing is NOT Easy.
- Social Marketing shouldn't be your only marketing tool.
- Social Marketing is Interactive.
- Social Marketing is Dynamic.
- Social Marketing is Powerful.
- Be Realistic about the Time and Money involved. Social Media Marketing is not free. It takes time to strategize and create effective posts, and there's a learning curve for newbies. Once your page is set up, budget 6-8 hours a week of social media time while you're learning.
- Be Patient. Very little "goes viral." It takes time to build an Internet following.
- Analyze the data gathered by Facebook Insights and use it to your benefit.
- Once you've mastered Facebook, expand! (I recommend you move on to Google+ next!)
Why Use Social Media Marketing?
- 91% of U.S. adults use the Internet to search for information. (1)
- Facebook averages 1.15 billion monthly active users. (2)
- 72% of all U.S. adults use social networking sites. (1)
- 89% of U.S. adults 18-29 use social networking sites. (1)
- 43% of U.S. adults 65+ use social networking sites. (1)
- 74% of women and 70 % of men use social networking sites. (1)
- 18% of Internet users are on Twitter, with nearly equal numbers of men and women, largely 18-29 years old. (1)
- 56% of U.S. adults own a smartphone. (1)