You keep hearing you need social media marketing, but it feels complicated and you are not sure if there are any actual benefits. In today’s blog, I want to chat to you about some of those advantages and benefits and give you some basics of getting your social media on track. Stay tuned till the end for a fantastic FREEBIE that will give you the words you need to gain traction.
What Are The Benefits Of Social Media Marketing?
There are a lot of advantages and benefits of social media, but let me break down the top three.
1. The sheer number of people on social media platforms. In January 2022, just here in Botswana, the data shows that there were 1.20 million social media users. That is equivalent to 49.6% of the total population, not to state the obvious but that is a lot of people. If you have a business you want to be tapping into that market.
2. It is also free or low-cost compared to more traditional marketing methods. Not to slam a billboard, but they are expensive when compared to boosting on Facebook. While more traditional methods cannot be discounted fully they are less effective to reaching the masses and for a much greater cost.
3. You can create content from the comfort of wherever you are. With the power of Canva on your phone or laptop you can quickly and easily design posts from everywhere. Standing in a queue at the bank, enjoying an afternoon coffee, waiting for your child in the school pickup – just pull out your phone and create!
Get Started With Social Media Marketing Basics
I am pleased to say that Botswana businesses have woken up to the benefits of social media. The negative is that all those companies are now fighting for attention. This means your brand needs to be at the top of its game.
Whether it’s building a massive following or driving new leads to your website, the steps you need to take are the same. You must create and share outstanding content to engage your audience.
Follow the four steps below and you will be well on your way to getting the most out of your social media.
1. Research Your Target Audience
Different audiences prefer different social media platforms. You should meet your prospects where they are.
For example, A travel agency will find bigger success on Instagram. But an artist may find more success on Pinterest. A law firm should be on LinkedIn, but possibly not TikTok.
Look my advice is not to try to be on every social media channel. One you will have burn out and two some of your channels will look lacklustre and not represent you well. As a rule of thumb, it helps to get your business present on a couple of the big four at first.
The big four are:
Next double check where your competition is, and why they are there. If they seem to have insane engagement on Tiktok then investigate it. Otherwise, stick to the above.
2 – Create Accounts for Your Brand
You must now create social profiles on each platform you chose. Your main focus here is to maintain a unique brand identity. Be sure to enter your professional business details. Use a real phone number, address, email and website to increase credibility.
It’s never great if your email address is GlitterFairy67@yahoo.com unless you are selling glitter fairies. If you have an accountancy firm, well umm it’s a bit awkward.
You should use professional design in your profile, including your logo and brand colours. That allows you to establish consistency and make lasting impressions. (Digital Gems can help you with that.)
3- Publish Content Regularly
Publishing on social media is very much like getting fit and going to the gym. Don’t be that person that jumps out the gate going the gym on the first of Jan. We have all been guilty of it. You start out well, going every day for 2 weeks. Then, life happens, you don’t go for a month. Instead, come up with a realistic content calendar and stick with it. (Business Gems has an entire workshop on content calendars – stay tuned for the next time we offer it.)
4- Analyze Your Metrics
Monitoring progress is always essential in any marketing strategy. The numbers aren’t emotional. They tell you what is and isn’t working.
The most important metrics you should track for social media marketing are.
- Post reach/impressions
- Post engagements (likes, reactions, comments, shares)
- Number of page follows/likes
- Views (for videos)
These metrics are all available for you to see on your profile. Each one is going to help you refine and improve your marketing strategy.
For example: You may notice that your audience interacts with images better on Instagram, or videos on Facebook. Maybe Pinterest is driving the most site visits when you share infographics. Look at those numbers.
Let’s Be Real
Like any marketing strategy, social media marketing is going to take time and effort. You may not see results in your first few weeks. With our clients, we ask for a minimum contract of 4 months. This helps us build on a longer strategy. Building each month onto the next.
Once you start to build a following, your numbers will always go higher. A social media presence gives your brand a wonderful avenue to engage with your customers wherever they are. Because the chances are you’re reading this within reach or on your phone.
