Social Media Marketing

In a world of increasing competition and rising advertising costs, companies need to look at cheaper advertising options to stay afloat in the market. That’s where social media marketing comes into the picture. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can be used to promote your products/services without putting much pressure on your pocket. Such platforms can be used to connect with your target market to increase your website traffic and sales, ultimately.

But what needs to be done in social media marketing? Well, you have to publish good content on social channels, engage with your followers, run advertisements, and analyze the final results. You can take the help of social media management tools to drive the best results from social channels. But before we proceed with it, let’s take a look at the core of social media marketing.

What are the five pillars of Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing can’t function without the below-mentioned five core pillars. Let’s understand them in detail.

• Strategy- As a new brand in the market, you can’t afford to make mistakes. Therefore, you need to come up with a suitable strategy for your brand. Social media marketing strategy consists of three things-
• Your goals- Brand awareness, sales, overall engagement, community, etc. You have to identify one and stick to it.
• Social media channels- Start with limited channels and slowly, move on to others. Don’t make the rookie mistake of posting on all channels. You won’t be able to maintain the engagement.
• Type of content- Figure out the type of content that will entertain/educate your target market. It can be images, videos, infographics, or articles.
• Plan and Publish- Frequency and the right timing are very important in social media marketing. You have to plan your content in advance to get more engagement. For example, posting thrice in a week and only once next week will not do the trick. This will destroy your engagement levels. You have to come up with a month’s long schedule (at least) of planning and content publishing. For this, you can use different publishing tools to make your life a little easier.
• Listen to your followers- As you drive more engagement, more followers will connect with your brand. Sometimes, they may even share their likes/dislikes about your brand. And you have to listen to them, always. Why? Your sales depend on it. Nobody likes to buy products/services of a brand that doesn’t listen to their followers’ expectations. Take the example of OnePlus. It is a successful brand because it always listens to its customers.
• Focus on analytics- Now and then, you should check the analytics. Take a look at how your content is performing on a social media channel, how many people connect with your brand in a month, what your competitors are doing, etc. After the results are in, customize your strategy accordingly. If your competitor is getting more engagement by posting videos, you can’t afford to depend on images.
• Advertise often- If you are lacking in engagement and have a few funds to spare, take the help of social media advertising. Nowadays, social channels like Facebook and Instagram allow their users to place ads on their posts. This helps to reach a wider audience. You can customize these ads based on demographics, behavior, interests, etc. It can prove to be useful in the long run.

In 2021, there are more than 3 billion people who are active on social media channels. Instead of noticing Kareena Kapoor on a billboard, people recognize her on social media posts and ultimately, check out the brand she is representing. That’s the power of social media. As compared to traditional advertising methods like TV ads or billboards, you can spend 1/4th of the cost on social media channels and drive maximum engagement out of them.

For example, Noise is a company that manufactures smart watches and audio devices for its customers. The company advertises more on social channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram instead of putting a huge billboard. Why? Because it understands the importance of social media marketing. And it has done wonders for it till now. Ultimately, you have to advertise to increase your visibility. And a suitable method for it is right in front of you.

In 2021, there are several social media channels and each one of them has its importance in the market. The question (which is the right channel for my brand) depends on a lot of factors like business core, target audience, etc. Let’s take a look at the top four social media platforms used by the companies.

• Facebook- Ideally, it was launched to take the place of Orkut and allow users to interact with each other, post images/videos, and share files. With time, it was optimized for brands as well. Now, you can create a page for your brand, customize it according to your needs, and place a Facebook ad strategy to gain visibility. All popular brands like Pepsi, Nike, or Asus have their Facebook pages.
• Instagram- It is regarded as the king of social media. Why? In 2021, it has managed to gain maximum visitors among all other social channels. That’s why you will find all types of brands on Instagram. Just like Facebook, you can create your brand page, post content on it to drive engagement.
• LinkedIn- For all the recruiting agencies and students out there, LinkedIn is the best social media platform to wish for. You won’t find Nike or Puma doing their promotions on LinkedIn. Why? Because this platform is optimized to meet the needs of students and working professionals. Just create your profile and post content to gain maximum visibility.
• Twitter- This platform allows users to tweet about their products/services. A brand can post official tweets about discounts, news, specials, and brand-building to gain engagement. Like every other social platform, Twitter works best with interaction. Always answer your customers’ questions to let them feel an important part of your brand.

There is no right answer to this question. Ideally, you post on social channels because you have quality content. Sometimes, it may take days to come up with such content. That means no posts = less engagement. On the other hand, if you post random content on social media, it can also lead to less engagement. So, what should you do? Every business is different and what works for Puma may not work for Bose. That’s why it’s important to know your audience- what they like when they are active and prepare a social media marketing strategy according to it.

A brand needs maximum visibility it can get to drive sales and interact with its customers. And social media marketing can help with that. That’s why more and more brands are pouring their resources into social media. It will definitely be a game-changer for your overall business.