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Bad Marketers are Ignorant (of Social Media Trends)

Smart Marketing … uses social media to stay top-of-mind and create a competitive advantage.

Pew Research Center found that 8 in 10 U.S. adults use Facebook. And 467 million Americans use

LinkedIn.

Let those numbers wash over you for a minute.

Like it or not, social media is influencing your target audience.

Just a few years ago, customers primarily interacted with businesses via phone, email and websites. But the explosive adoption of social media has transformed the ways customers engage with your company, learn about your products/services, and ultimately make purchasing decisions.

Marketing has changed – dramatically.

Smart marketers know that investing in a strong social media presence is no longer a luxury; it’s a business necessity. They stay on top of rapidly evolving social media trends, leveraging new platforms and strategies to:

  • increase web traffic, leads and conversions;
  • raise awareness of their brand, products and/or services;
  • stay top of mind;
  • strengthen their brand;
  • improve communication and engagement with their audiences.

When it comes to using social media for business, it seems like technology, platforms and best-practices change almost daily. And frankly, unless social media marketing is your full-time job, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by your options – and tough to determine what strategies make the most sense for your business.

Our advice?

Start small.

Consider which platforms your target audience(s) are most likely to spend their time on. Set up accounts on one or two channels. Gradually build your followers on those platforms, and then systematically test ideas one at a time to see which yield the best results.

Start dialogues.

Don’t just post; answer inquiries. Respond to comments. Ask questions. Start conversations. Social media is comprised of highly interactive, two-way communication channels. Your audience(s) want to engage one-on-one with your brand!

Be consistent.

Make sharing content, monitoring channels and responding to inquiries and comments a habit (hint: it’s best if you assign responsibility to one person or a small team – so someone is accountable!). Consistency the best way to stay top-of-mind and protect your brand.

Be authentic.

Regardless of whether your organization is buttoned up or laid back, customers and prospects want to engage with real people in your real business. While you should always put your best foot forward on social media, skip the façade-building and image-crafting. As a small business, take advantage of the opportunities social media provides to show the authentic, personal side of your organization.

Get visual.

Pictures, short video clips and infographics instantly grab attention. Experiment with different types of content to see what gets the most engagement.

Take advantage of new functionality.

As social tools become more robust, keep up with the “bells and whistles” they add. Think of ways you could leverage new features to stand out from the competition.

Get expert marketing help.

Know you need a social media strategy, but aren’t sure where to start? Call BARQAR! We’ll create a simple, cost-effective plan to help you engage with your audience, build your brand – and create a real advantage over your competitors.

 

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