Our customer support team receives questions every day from customers about how to improve and customize their online marketing strategy. We have compiled some of the most common customer questions in order to help you optimize your online marketing and make the most of your resources.
Part 1 was all about website content. This time, the focus is on social media. So what do you want to know?
Part 2: Social Media
Social media is a great way to connect with new leads and grow your reach. If done properly, social media marketing helps build your brand online and provides a way for you to interact meaningfully with your customers and leads.
Does social media make a difference to online marketing?
It depends what kind of business you are and who your customers are. The majority of businesses have social media, but not all businesses use it in the same way. Industries such as law and healthcare often use their social media to spread news and information, as well as to share testimonials and build trust. Industries such as retail and hospitality use social media to connect with their customers and share promotions, coupons and contests. It is important to research and understand how other businesses in your industry are using social media.
Whether or not social media marketing helps your business also depends on how you use it. You get out of social media what you put into it. If you treat social media as an afterthought and just post an advertisement for your latest product a few times a month, you won't engage your visitors. If, on the other hand, you post entertaining and informative content on a consistent basis you can expand your customer base and increase loyalty and reach. It is also essential to promote your social pages through other methods. This may include a link in your email newsletters, a link on your website, a "Visit us on Facebook and Twitter" blurb on your receipts and so on. Social media is a vital part of a comprehensive online marketing strategy.
How do I measure my social media marketing success?
You will not necessarily make sales through social media. It is more about reaching out to new potential customers and spreading your brand. The idea is to gain as many followers and as much social media interaction with people and businesses as possible. You are looking to increase new leads, gain signups for your email newsletters, gather feedback and improve customer satisfaction.
You measure the success of your social media marketing campaigns based on likes, retweets, shares, number of followers and so on. The main thing you're looking for, however, is how many people are actually visiting your site and interacting, due to your social media marketing.
Is social media marketing expensive?
Once again, it depends. If you are employing a staff member, a small team or an external marketing agency the cost can add up. If you decide to use an automated social media solution or an all-in-one online marketing solution, you will greatly reduce cost and time spent.
Automating your social media posting is not a be-all and end-all. You still have to interact with your social media followers, answer questions, follow up and create discussions. It is an ideal option for a small business, however. You create content ahead of time and schedule it to go out at the time of your choice.
Automation enables a small business to post consistently without your staff having to spend all their time on social media. Many companies offer social media marketing automation for an affordable cost. Sign up for a free SimplyCast account and try our automated social media solution for free for 14 days.
What are some potential mistakes to avoid?
Just as there are a lot of opportunities with social media marketing, there are also a lot of pitfalls. We have an entire two-part blog post that explains all about social media mistakes.
They include: trying to maintain a presence on too many social media sites, reacting inappropriately to negative comments posted by visitors, posting mostly self-promotional content, purchasing followers or likes and more. Review the blog post to learn more.
To try SimplyCast's automated social media management solution for free, sign up for a 14 day free trial.
