Over the past decade, the marketing landscape has changed drastically. With over 79% of US consumers now frequently shopping online, businesses can no longer rely on their brick-and-mortar storefronts to garner sales.
While traditional companies find their sales dwindling, businesses that have fully embraced the digital trend are using social media marketing to significantly expand their customer base and boost their profits.
Of course, with so many companies heading online, competition for views, clicks and brand loyalty is at an all-time high. That’s why we’ve put together a list of four simple ways to help you cement your brand’s place online.
1. Get Yourself Noticed
A fundamental part of launching your business online is breaking through the digital noise and attracting the attention of the right people. A lot of businesses do through by reaching out to Influencers and Tastemakers (think Youtube stars, bloggers and comedians) for collaborations and sponsorships.
However, another less-utilized way of making a splash is to identify sites that specifically support entrepreneurs and startups. Don’t underestimate the power of an engaging article, like this David Janeson interview, can have on establishing a positive brand sentiment. Studies have shown that users are more likely to engage with your brand if it showcases its human side.
2. Do Your Research
With dozens of social media platforms to choose from, knowing where to list your business can be daunting. That’s why it’s vital that you do your research. There is no established “correct” number of social media sites a successful business needs to link up with. It all comes down to the size of your workforce. If you’re a couple running your small business from home, trying to maintain 10 different social media accounts is a poor choice. It’ll take up too much time and leave your content stretched thin.
If you are a small business, determine where your target market are most prevalent and focus your attentions there. For example, if you’re trying to sell men’s shaving supplies, doing so on Pinterest (where approximately 88% of the userbase is female) is not a good use of your valuable time.
However, if you’re lucky enough to have a dedicated social media strategist on your team, participating on half a dozen platforms is a great way to engage with customers from all walks of life and improve your SEO with high-quality inbound links.
3. Monitor Your Competition
Another way to get a leg up in establishing your business’s online presence is to monitor your most successful competitors. This isn’t to say that you should model yourself on another brand but, by staying abreast of their marketing techniques and most sought-after products, you’ll save yourself a lot of time and money on market research. An easy way to monitor trends within your industry is to join sites such as LinkedIn, as research has shown that businesses frequently use this platform to distribute industry information.
Once you’ve had some practice watching trends evolve, you’ll find that you’re able to predict trends and anticipate gaps within the marketplace. This will help you identify what your brand can bring to the take to truly differentiate itself from your competitors.
4. Avoid Overzealous Marketing
Once your social media strategy starts paying off and you’ve established a decent fan base on your social media platforms, it can be tempting to fill your pages with advertisements for your brand. While it is important to use your profiles to promote your service, it’s imperative that you do so in a way that doesn’t alienate your customers.
Fans will unfollow brands who aggressively over-promote themselves on social media as they expect content on their newsfeeds to be engaging, not blatantly self-serving. Additionally, most customers who “like” or ‘“follow” social media pages expect to reap the benefits. So, if you’re going to post about a product, incentivize following your page by providing them with a platform-exclusive coupon code or deal.
And there you have it. By keeping these four tips in mind and doing your research, you’ll find that building your brand’s business online isn’t as daunting as you might have thought!
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