Digital marketing can be a complex and scary minefield when it comes to starting your journey for your business. We have designed the below 15 point list to show items that are very important when you start out. More articles will follow to support small businesses navigate this landscape.
- Set Clear Objectives: Start by defining what you want to achieve with your social media presence. Your objectives may include increasing brand awareness, driving traffic to your website, or boosting product sales. Example: Airbnb consistently uses their social media platform to grow brand identity and connect with their audience.
- Identify Your Target Audience: Tailor your social media posts to match the interests of your target audience. For instance, LEGO’s Instagram page is filled with colorful, playful content that resonates with both kids and adults.
- Choose the Right Platforms: Not all social media platforms may be suitable for your business. Nike, for example, uses Twitter for customer service and Instagram for showcasing their products in action, each serving different purposes effectively.
- Create and Share High-Quality Content: Share content that is informative, entertaining, or inspiring. Content should also be consistent in terms of voice and style. Coca-Cola uses clear, high-quality, visually-striking images across its social media platforms.
- Use SEO Techniques: Use specific keywords related to your business for better visibility. Google uses these keywords to improve search rankings, which boosted their social media following dramatically.
- Engage With Your Audience: Respond to comments, answer questions, and engage in conversations. Wendy’s is famous for its humorous and engaging Twitter presence, creating a bond with customers.
- Leverage Influencers: Collaborate with influential personalities in your industry to increase reach. Fashion Nova, for instance, utilizes influencers and celebrities to market their products.
- Run Social Media Ad Campaigns: Paid ads can target your audience more precisely based on demographic and behavioral data. Grammarly found success through campaign-specific ads promoting their proofreading tool.
- Implement Video Marketing: Videos can grab attention better than text or still images. Red Bull’s adrenaline-filled videos consistently gain immense engagement.
- Utilize User-Generated Content: Encourage followers to contribute content. GoPro frequently shares videos and images taken by consumers using their products.
- Link Social Media to your Website/Blogs: This drives traffic to your business’s main site, improving both its SEO and user engagement. HubSpot integrates blog posts and essential resources into their social media strategy.
- Monitor Your Competitors: Watching what strategies are working for your competitors might give you some ideas. Spotify observes trends in music streaming and adapts.
- Frequent and Consistent Posts: Regularly posting increases your visibility and keeps your audience engaged. Netflix is known for its daily updates and quick responses to comments.
- Use Analytics to Review Performance: Use built-in analytics tools to see what’s working and what’s not. By analyzing their growth, IBM has made essential shifts in their social media strategy.
- Be Authentic: Authenticity cultivates trust and loyalty among your audience. Innocent Drinks’s quirky and genuine social media voice sets them apart.