Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Google+, YouTube – Social media is all around us. And because it is becoming such a popular way to connect with one another, many small businesses are now using social media to connect with their target audience. It is important to remember, however, that having a social media page is not enough. If you want to attract customers, you must also have a successful social media strategy. Here are six steps to help you develop your own strategy:
Listen to what your consumers are telling you.
The first step to any successful marketing strategy is research. And if you want your research efforts to pay off, you really need to listen to what your consumers are telling you. Determine your target audience and find out what they have to say by searching blogs, forums, or review websites related to your product or service. What issues is your target audience interested in? What are their needs? It is only once you know the values and needs of your audience that you can market your product in such a way that will attract their attention.
Identify your goals and objectives.
Setting goals is the first step to achieving them. You could set goals such as “increase sales by fifteen percent” or “increase website traffic by twenty percent”. Make sure your goals are achievable, write them down, and do everything you can to meet them.
Create a Plan.
Before you can begin setting a plan in motion, you must have a plan set. Once again, this step involves some research. How will you capture the interest of your audience? Where will you advertise? Will you provide free samples? How will you set yourself apart from your competitors? How will you develop an emotional connection with customers? Research may take time, but it is the best way to ensure you are attracting the right customers.
Create your content.
This must be something that is interesting to your target audience and that will capture their interest. Promotions, how to’s, tips, facts, polls, interviews, opinions, photos, videos, and live events are all things that can be used to create an interest in your product. Once you have created your content, update it regularly. This will keep customers coming back to your webpage often.
Monitor your success.
Once you have your social media page up and running, you want to monitor your success. Who is visiting your site? What are they saying about your product or service? Are you attracting a lot of new consumers each month? Monitoring your progress will allow you to see how well your strategy is working, tweaking it as you go along.
When it comes to using social media, a social media strategy will be the key to your success. Create a plan, carry it through, and monitor your success. If your plan is not working after a few months, you may want to revise it or integrate with other online marketing methods to attract more consumers to your social media page.
Do you have a social media strategy for your business? What social media network(s) do you find most effective for your business? Post your feedback in the comment section below. I’ll be looking forward to hear your feedback.
