28 Feb It’s Mardi Gras! Relax, Eat King Cake While We Handle Your Marketing
It’s that season here in Louisiana. Festivals, balls, parades. It’s hard to maintain focus on those things critical to your business, such as your social media posts. While you enjoy the season, the business world doesn’t stop. But there is some good news. You really can let the good times—and your business—roll and not miss out on potential opportunities.
Making the Most of Social Media
It’s even more important these days to keep your business on top of the latest and most successful technological trends, including marketing, specifically via social media. The ways to successfully market your business have changed dramatically in the past few years. So, the question is, how to have a life and also maintain a thriving business? That’s where companies such as Cyber Fision come in. We work behind the scenes, plugging away, ensuring what you market is reaching your target audience by offering up-to-date and relevant information.
Social Media for Marketing
Everyone, with possibly the exception of your grandmother, is familiar with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, among others. In essence, social media is comprised of computer-based technologies that allow the sharing of all types of information—from personal to professional—using virtual communities and networks. Typically a tool for communication between friends and family, social media is gaining recognition as an effective marketing tool in the business world. As social media marketers work to build a following, one of the biggest challenges is coming up with fresh ideas that will engage audiences.
This means not posting the same old posts over and over again. Soon, you’ll have little to no response. Then the worst happens—people, important people, begin to unfollow and unsubscribe. Here are some ideas to prevent that from happening by keeping your posts fresh and interesting.
Educate Visitors
Offering educational information that offers value to your audience will keep them coming back. Tips relevant to their industry and opinion posts from popular industry leaders are well-received as are posts on the latest industry trends. Consider a series of posts under related topics, or perhaps re-running old, but useful, posts. Blogs that offer viable information are popular, as long as they are written in a professional tone, and while humor is not de rigeur, people often respond in a positive way, particularly with “dry” subjects. You can also link your blog to your other posts, so your audience doesn’t miss out. Create posts under a common theme to share on a regular basis. And share the spotlight by including interviews with industry experts which help promote your business profile and reputation as a source of knowledge within your particular field. And don’t be afraid to include light-hearted ideas. Even ads. Something entertaining is always appreciated, and still gets your message across. You may even consider recommendations for relevant TV or books that will also provide educational information that clients will find very useful when growing their business.
Offering educational information
that offers value to your
audience will keep them coming back.
Linking all these myriad sources of information is a great way to educate your audience. Post from reputable domains and introduce your potential clients to reputable tips on useful tools and tricks to improve their productivity and workflow.
Incorporate Visual Content
“Scrollers” tend to respond well to visual content, specifically when it illustrates statistical data. A picture tells a thousand words so create, or borrow, graphics that provide a load of information in a single image.
Similarly, quotes are real attention grabbers, as long as they aren’t too long, or aren’t way off point. Keep them succinct and relevant.
Images can motivate as well. By posting visuals that illustrate users overcoming obstacles, it encourages others who may be experiencing similar challenges. Avoid clichés and use only graphics that are fresh, something directly relevant to the topic at hand.
Videos are all the rage. You can hardly spend a minute online before you see a YouTube video of something. So, join the movement and make your own, business-specific video. Ensure it’s not something stupid, like people performing ridiculous stunts, apparently aiming to kill themselves, but is genuinely informative and professional.
Also, a growing trend is video-heavy action shots. Is there a particular product that requires a series of steps in order to function? Why not demonstrate the steps as a tutorial to get clients started on the setup process?
Keep it Down to Earth
Posts that include anecdotes of your company in its infancy, through to the present day, including all the trials and tribulations of building a business, make your company feel relatable. The various individuals that were pivotal in the growth of your company, highlighted in social media posts, make you “real.” People can identify with your struggles and achievements. Include shots of your employees at their desks, or a shot of the big reveal of a new product. This makes your recipients say to themselves, “yeah I can really relate to that.”
Publicize or Perish
Take every advantage to post positive customer testimonials and their experiences with your company and its products and services. Referrals are what drives business, so it is critical to use them to your advantage whenever and wherever possible. More and more people are reading reviews before they decide to hire or buy. Ignoring the value of these experiences is something a business does at their professional peril.
Be sure to include news that is specific to your company. How can people buy if they don’t know what TO buy? They want the latest and greatest so give it to them, and make sure they have access to the information they need to make their decision. This includes posting deals and promotions directed to your social media fans. Make the deal so irresistible that all followers will be ready to buy. It may not mean more likes or replies but clicks will increase and your followers will also.
Make the deal so irresistible
that all followers will be ready to buy.
It’s also important to keep all your digital outlets linked. Link your posts to your website. Link them to your LinkedIn account, and to every other social platform. This ensures that if a follower misses a post, they can find a link to it from your website. Of course, always keep all information up to date. What is the use of that outdated content? Keep on top of all your digital media. It’s all about sharing between platforms. And always remember—at the end of it all, create a call to action, to put your audience in a position to move forward with investing in your products and services. Make it easy for them to do this. Nothing is more frustrating that wanting to be involved, but the process is such a mess, it’s impossible, and you will lose a valuable follower and purchaser.
And That is How it Works
The professionals who are experienced in bringing these ideas together to grow your business are absolutely crucial. Their successful social media marketing campaigns have proven time and time again that a sophisticated knowledge of the ever-changing social media marketing industry is something not all business owners have time to adequately maintain. Hire a company like Cyber Fision, and let them take this aspect of your marketing and make it work for you. And remember…
