The continuing evolution of social platforms is making it one of the most potent “weapons” in an online marketer’s arsenal. Topping the list on how social media is used today is brand awareness. The people-centred nature of social makes it a natural contact point between brands and prospective customers. Getting your business “out there” is the first step towards sales conversions. But how can you rally your social media strategies for product or service awareness? Here are 5 ways you can do just that.
Freebies, deals, and bargains
With everybody competing for attention in social platforms how can you stand out? One of the best ways to do that is to give out free stuff. If you are selling skin care products perhaps run a contest and give out free samples to the winner. You can also have limited time offers and deals. Giving out discount coupons is also a good idea. The secret is to let your audience ask about you and your offering. Curiosity about your brand and what makes you different will do amazing things for your online marketing.
Be a resource of usable information
Hard selling on social media is marketing suicide. Nobody likes to be sold to especially when you are in the mood for making friends and connecting with people. Social platforms are for engaging people not for pushing products and services. Instead of selling products, talk about the problems your business can help with.
If you have a wellness business, talk about health issues, share insights from medical professionals, publish studies that can give people timely information about health concerns and simple remedies. The objective is to gain the trust of your audience, to connect with their pains and fears. It is from here rich engagement starts. Converting from there will be easy, natural and subtle.
Choose the right platform for your business
It is not necessary to be in all social media platforms. To have more focus and to master marketing practices applicable in a specific social network, start with one or two social platforms. Remember it takes time, money and effort to maintain social profiles for your business, so be sure to crunch the numbers first. This is not just about practicality but efficiency. The more focused you are in a platform the better results you can get.
Facebook is still the king of social engagement but LinkedIn is the ideal network for professionals and business owners who are into B2B marketing. Are you into visuals, or maybe you just want to show some lifestyle images? Then Instagram or Pinterest will be the ideal platform for you. Are you into vlogs and various video content? YouTube is the way to go.
Understand your business and what it “sells” and then specify the networks you want to tap for your brand awareness campaigns.
Engage with your audience
It is not enough to get the attention of your target audience. You need to connect with them. If they leave a comment in one of your post never miss that opportunity to engage them in a conversation. Interactions over social media humanizes a brand. This is not only making you familiar with your market but also encourage brand loyalty. If you keep on talking with your network, you also learn priceless lessons too – including how you can push your brand better.
Paid advertising is a must
Social platforms are moving away from purely organic engagement. They are cashing in on the size of their user base. Today it is harder to reach people with your posts no matter how informative and varied it might be. You need to include paid advertising in your brand awareness strategy. Learn to read social metrics (e.g. Facebook Insights) and understand what your audience is interested in. You can then intentionally select posts that your market relates to easily and initiate paid adverts on those to maximise paid and organic reach.
