In 2020, there are more than 2.77 billion social media users. This means that one in every three people around the world has access to social media. Brands and people are using social media in a similar way but for different reasons.
The normal user is using social media to socialize (obviously), keep up with the latest trends, shop new items directly from the social accounts of brands, news updates.
Businesses use it to spread their elevator pitch across a broad and easy accessible channel, brand promotion, new product updates, corporate news updates, official contact channel for customers and to socialize with their following.
What is social media marketing?
Social media marketing is the process of creating and sharing content on any social media platform with specific goals in mind. For instance; you can use social media to give your business more exposure, grow your following, product launches and so much more. All of these social interactions can also improve the traffic to your website. Social media is also essential in enhancing user engagement and to easily get priceless feedback concerning your products.
The relevance of social media marketing
Today, social media channels are crucial to improve the conversion rate on your business website. Through social media, a large following will get to know you better and will be up to date with your latest news. Geographic restrictions do not bound the online users, so you can easily access a wide range of people all over the world without spending a lot of money.
Social media offers a flexible marketing strategy that can be used in both a formal and informal way. Sounds really fun! But how do you use it? And do you need to be present on all possible platforms?
Here is a valuable guide to help you break into the world of social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram Twitter and Linkedln.
Today, the word 'Facebook' seems synonymous with 'social media platform,' and it is the largest 'country' in the world. Facebook offers a large pool of users with the opportunity to create a business page and the possibility to use the platform for paid ads.
There are tons of sections to share your content to, such as on the regular feeds, posts in groups, Facebook stories, Facebook live, Facebook messenger, and Facebook events.
Facebook business page
The Facebook business page has all the features you need to advertise your business. You can add all the essential information, such as your physical location, contacts, business links, as well as sell your products. Learn in this handy guide how to create all the Facebook business assets for your company.
What to post
On your Facebook business page, you can highlight your brand and share any relevant details about your business. You could also promote your blog posts, company updates, behind the scenes events, upcoming events, sales, and promotional content. Remember to be creative and exciting to keep your users engaged.
How often to post
The social media schedule for original content publishing should be about three times a week. Share content, depending on the goals and resources of your business.
How to advertise
Facebook Advertising focuses on targeted ads; so it will reach a more targeted audience compared to other available on and offline channels. You have the opportunity to specify the age, location, and other demographic conditions - all at an affordable price.
Instagram is predominantly a photo and video sharing platform. Instagram is a hub for photographers, travelers, millennials, influencers, and brands. Visual appeal is essential in marketing on this platform. Stats indicate that Instagram has a 23% higher engagement rate than Facebook, but you need to understand that Instagram functions best on smartphones.
Content Options
Instagram has marketing features, such as Instagram posts, Instagram stories, story highlights, hashtags, Instagram live, comments and links, direct messages, filters, polls, GIFs, and more options are on the way.
Instagram business account
A business profile on Instagram will add credibility to your brand. From your profile, go to setting and click on the 'Switch to business account' to create a business account.
When you create a business account, customize it by adding your business bio, such as the business logo, quality content, and brand-specific hashtags. Then, you can start promoting your Instagram business account as well.
It is essential to post quality and interesting content to keep your viewers engaged.
To advertise on Instagram, you need a Facebook page as you will use the Facebook ads manager to create the ads for this platform. Target the audience you desire using photos, videos, carousel posts, and collections.
Instagram TV (IGTV)
This an Instagram video-based application like YouTube. It enables the users to share and view videos than can upload lengthy videos that will not disappear after 24 hours.
Instagram algorithms
To navigate through the Instagram algorithms, create relevant content, share frequently, use hashtags, and use promotional ads. Also, it is essential to stay active while responding to conversations.
The algorithm is updating constantly so track your stats to discover which posts are working best.
Twitter is an excellent platform for networking, socializing, and sharing news updates. It is used by a wide variety of brands. But you need someone dedicated to post regularly and that is capable of interacting frequently with other users.
Communication
Twitter users interact through 'tweets.' Current research indicates that about 500 million tweets are sent out daily.
Content sharing
Twitter UI is simple and straightforward. Tweets are the most common form of communication on Twitter. You can add photos, GIFs, videos, and URLs to your tweets to improve user engagement. You can also add polls, tag people, and locations to reach a more targeted audience.
Direct messages are another form of communication on Twitter if you want to send private messages. You can customize the DM option to filter who sends you a message.
Hashtags ensure conversation around a targeted subject. Hashtags help to locate the topics that are trending and to ensure that your tweets are seen by other people outside your followers.
Likes, replies, and retweets improve the UX on Twitter. You can reply to a tweet from the quote icon or retweet, that is, sharing a tweet from someone else. You could also like a particular tweet. These features are essential in creating better engagement with your followers.
Twitter business profile
Twitter recommends using five features when creating a business profile: your business name as your twitter handle (@companyname), your profile image (logo), about 160-character description, header image, and a pinned tweet. Also, include a link to your website to drive more traffic to your site.
As a business it is essential to tweet regularly to improve user engagement. Respond to user comments to grow your social media base.
LinkedIn is classified as the largest professional social media platform. Most LinkedIn users use the platform to grow and market their personal careers. LinkedIn is essential for job hunting, recruitment, and networking.
You can showcase your professional skills on LinkedIn, accomplishments, and connect your business to the world.
Content
You can publish your own articles and give regular updates about your business. You can add photos, GIFs, videos, and links to boost your content.
You can create a profile and engage with your users through the newsfeed, content, messages, connections, and much more. You can share posts to a targeted audience or LinkedIn groups, or even write short blog-like posts to increase the UX.
LinkedIn business page
A LinkedIn company page is very much similar to Facebook's business page. It allows you to reach out to your audience through engagement, promotion and increasing brand awareness. If you are hiring, LinkedIn will be essential in finding the right person for the job.
Advertising
This is one of the most expensive social platforms to use for advertising but very useful for companies that are more B2B focused.
We hope that these social media tips make it easier for you to interact with your audience. Do not hesitate to contact our team if you have any questions.