It has been said that a majority of marketers doing social media marketing has increased their business exposure. In fact, 90% of them have affirmed that it has driven up their web traffic and thus exposure to potential patrons and customers.
This type of increase is not depended on what type of product or service one provides, social media marketing works and it will help grow brands and increase leads that will eventually help increase revenues.
However, despite the undeniable proof that social media marketing works there are still those who question the value of Social Media Marketing and Advertising.
While early adopters of the relatively new marketing tool some are skeptical on what it can bring on the table.
At a time when a lot of companies are trimming down to increase operational efficiency some have questioned if they really need another marketing cost center that they do not fully yet understand.
To shed more light to this relatively new marketing tool we will try to shed more light on the value proposition of Social Marketing and Advertising and give the skeptics compelling reason why they are essential nowadays where most of the world’s consumers are already on the internet.
In the following sections we will try to spotlight the importance of Social Media Marketing and Advertisement and what value it can bring to one’s organization.
I. Increase Your Exposure
Perhaps the most important value proposition of Social Media Marketing and Advertising is that it can capture a significant amount of potential customers.
Studies has shown that a vast amount of people, no matter what demographic they belong to are already in Social media. Suffice it to say, being able to tap into those potential customer will help boost traffic and drive sales. New content takes time to get traction in search engines like Google. Due to the algorithmic conditions Google have implemented in their search engine the probability of getting potential customers to one’s website, especially new ones, has increase dramatically. As in stands, trending sites or those who has already massive traffic gets listed first this is on top of those that gets listed through paid advertisement.
Now how can Social Media Marketing and Advertising help increase your exposure without having to pay Google serious money?
The solution is, have your content or link show up in the social media network feed like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. More often than not, this traffic is targeted which means you get the type of traffic that you want to attract. A single link can go viral in just a few days, even hours. It is not unheard of that a single link shared in social media can drive content to over thousands of visitors.
Tagging is one effective social media marketing tool where in you can leverage the popularity of a personality, influencer of company which may help in increasing your content’s exposure. It is likely that the tagged source will share or retweet the link to their thousands of followers which drives traffic back to your website.
II. Increase Engagement and Understanding of Customers Needs
III. Increase Brand Image Presence and Strengthen Brand Loyalty
Many can agree that brand image thrives on social media. It is even said to be the key to a successful customer service. Studies have shown that the average response times of companies are around 10 hours. However this is more than twice as much the customer are willing to wait. It has been revealed on a recent study that on the average, customers are only willing to wait up to 4 hours.
IV. Social Media Marketing Is Fairly Level playing Field
Many businesses do not have the means to invest thousands of dollars in sponsored social media advertising on a monthly basis. However, this does not preclude them from competing. Sponsored programs, when implemented correctly, may have a major influence on brand communication. They are, however, only one component of the larger picture. Furthermore, sponsored initiatives are unlikely to pay off until the fundamentals of a successful social media strategy are in place.
So, what are the pillars of an effective social media strategy? They are inextricably linked to the organization’s foundations. Companies should begin by exhibiting their basic principles on social media; via the material and messaging they publish, they should emphasize what sets them apart.
Organizations that distinguish out on social media have one thing in common: they are one-of-a-kind. They employ comedy and creativity to develop a personality, catch the imagination of audiences, and generate organic visibility – frequently to the point of becoming viral.
V. Increase your Sales
Marketing and promoting your brand on social media may have a quantifiable impact, but only if done in a systematic and planned manner. You won’t be able to achieve quantifiable outcomes if you start a social media marketing campaign without a good plan and clear targets. However, if you develop a strong plan, select measurable targets, and carry out the appropriate steps, you will always be able to identify a quantifiable impact.
Direct Sales through Social Media
Social media networks have made it relatively simple for huge corporations to directly promote items and services to their followers. Taking a direct sales strategy only works when the company has a significant number of followers, since they are more likely to receive some buy-in for their messages. A huge firm can enjoy sales success if it directly advertises a product or service and indicates where it can be purchased, or if it includes an online sales gateway through social media.
Success does not imply that a large number of followers will purchase. However, if there are enough followers, even a tiny proportion viewing the product or service and opting to buy will result in a significant increase in revenue from a low-cost marketing effort. However, if this method is utilized too frequently, its efficacy may dwindle as followers become bored of it.
Purchasing Social Media Ad Space
One solution to some of the usual issues with direct sales is to use ad space on social media networks instead. This has a greater cost, but it allows firms to target individuals who are more likely to buy or exhibit interest in their product, rather than bulk marketing to everyone.
As a result, the company can concentrate on adding content and growing an engaged fan following on their major social media accounts while also selling directly to more focused followers. Ads, on the other hand, are more likely to be disregarded, especially when they are surrounded by other information. Ads may potentially be banned by followers or gradually undermine a favorable company image.
Marketing Promotions and Indirect Advertising
Indirect social media methods do not lead followers to a specific product or purchase, but rather provide them with another incentive to investigate the items or services offered by a company. A excellent example would be a company running promotional postings around Valentine’s Day with gift ideas for your loved one. They are not openly advertising a certain product or service, but they are directing followers to their firm in order to generate sales.
This sort of indirect social media advertising makes extensive use of discounts and promotions.
Influencer Marketing
Hiring social media influencers could be pricey, but for certain firms, it can return a very high ROI. The appropriate influencer may help a brand reach individuals who aren’t already following them while also recommending the business through a platform those people trust.
Staying in View of the Customer
Staying in the minds of customers should be a major purpose of social media for small businesses. If a small business does not want to be a victim of the old adage “out of sight, out of mind,” it must maintain a presence where its customers can see it. Social media is a fantastic resource for this, and it may entice past consumers to come and utilize the service again, especially if an incentive is offered.
Leading to a Sale
Most small companies would be better served concentrating on indirect sales via social media. Given the lesser number of followers, it’s not always possible to market items and services directly, as the ensuing sales are likely to be insignificant. Rather, social media should be used as the first step in the purchasing process. Many digital marketers would refer to this as the start of the sales funnel.
Whatever you name it, social media is an important initial step in getting people to buy products and services. It’s a good idea to direct potential clients to a permanent company website by offering them something of value for free. Providing value to consumers before they make a purchase fosters goodwill toward a firm and, in many situations, leads to an increase in sales.
Building a Brand Personality
Making a relatable brand personality on social media is a surprisingly successful small company tactic. A social media approach that is helpful, courteous, and responsive can result in a direct boost in sales. The most desired quality in a business social media account is responsiveness, and it is the one thing that is most likely to lead to sales in all demographics of online customers. This is a low-cost, high-impact technique for small enterprises.
VI. Social Media Ads Gives Far Higher Returns Than Google Ads
Social networking sites make advertising more successful because they enable firms to market their products to prospects and customers while also possibly spreading the word to the general public by interacting and networking with interested followers.