Getting The Most Out Of Social Media Advertising

So you’ve spent countless hours, days, maybe even years building your businesses brand. Meticulously wording your website, creating brochures, and networking within your market in order to make your business known. You’ve created credible, professional content, but how do you really get this information seen?

According to the Content Marketing Forum hosted by Curata, 80% of marketers are sharing their content on social media. Why is this? It turns out that Internet users are spending 25% of their web time using social media platforms.

The most important guideline to follow is not just to promote but also to engage your audience. Finding a balance between these two actions can be challenging if you are new to using social media as a marketing tool. Consider social media platforms as a networking ground. Through applications like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram there is an opportunity to interact with your followers and potential partners.

If the interaction were taking place in real life you wouldn’t simply try to sell a service or product, you would engage in conversation. Look at social media from the same perspective. Write and post interesting videos, relevant articles, fun facts, and photos while leaving room for conversation. Don’t just sell, but build relationships first. In an article posted to LinkedIn by Shafaat Ayub, a marketing professional, he suggests that every 1 out of 7 posts should be solely about business promotion while the other 6 should be valuable content.

Allow for variations in your posts.

It is great to utilize multiple social media platforms for successful Internet marketing, but if you put out too similar of posts to multiple platforms then you may send out a phony or generic demeanor. If there is a message you want to share through more than one platform then make each post about the topic unique. Do not simply copy and paste the same post multiple times.

Responsiveness is key.

Social scientists have defined “responsiveness” as one of the biggest factors in whether or not someone is likeable. This theory can and should be applied to your business as well. Adcetera, a 33-year old advertising company, advises that interacting with consumers will create a loyal following. If other companies are mentioning you online then do the same for them. You could make a thank you post, a post highlighting collaborations that may be under way between the two of you, or even a post promoting them. Building allies will advance your promotional success. Interacting with clients or fans will also boost your businesses popularity. In addition, make sure you are responding in a timely manner. Same day responses are ideal.

Creating thought-provoking engaging content is time consuming.

If your posts are successful then you’ll receive a lot of feedback and before you realize you’ll be spending a lot more time than you may have planned keeping up with it all. Use your time efficiently by organizing a social media calendar at the beginning of each month. Creating an outline for what you hope to release on the web will ensure you don’t lose valuable ideas and also cut down on posting time. Social media platforms like Facebook even give you the option of scheduling posts. This means you can write a post in advance and schedule its posting time.

Finally, simplicity is more in the world of social media.

Be brief with the content in your posts. Social media users consume information that is generated through a news feed. Consumers are skimming information as they scroll along and too long of posts may be off-putting. Be realistic with the length and depth of the information you share.

Releasing balanced and well-rounded information consistently will create a positive reputation for your business’s online reputation. People will look forward to your posts. They may even repost your posts themselves! Furthermore, if you are incorporating calls-to-action in your content then facilitate each CTA organically. Avoid cheesy language like “Flash Sale: 50% Off, Buy Now!” Instead make each CTA fun and interactive. Involve consumers in their experience by incorporating contests and photo sharing. CTAs allow supportive consumers to participate in the advertising process and let you reward their loyalty!