There are many social media sites available, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Some people argue that Facebook is dying, while others claim the opposite. Regardless of which side you take on this debate, one thing is sure: utilizing your chosen social media site to create a solid customer base can be a potent tool for any company looking to expand its business.
Marketing your company on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter is a great way to build a strong customer base that will hopefully turn into consistent, loyal customers. Social media marketing can be difficult if you don’t know where to start, but the tips below should help you create a successful campaign and expand your business:
Create a Customer Data Platform
Having a customer data platform can help you create an online portal that brings together essential information about your customers, the products they purchase the most, and their interests. A customer data platform is a collection of software that creates a persistent, unified customer data layer that integrates and augments applications within a company with data from internal and external sources.
Once you’re able to integrate data from an assortment of different sources, such as your CRM platform and email marketing service, you’ll be better equipped to create highly personalized marketing campaigns that appeal to specific customer groups. Having one place with all the information about your customers can also make it easier for employees at various levels of your business to gain access and interact with the information they need most.
Take Advantage of Live Video Streaming Sites (Facebook Live)
Live streaming has become popularized in recent years with services like Meerkat and Periscope, but Facebook live is quickly becoming the most prominent live video streaming site available. Marketing your business on video streaming sites is a great way to engage with your existing customer base in real-time. You can also use this platform to create new leads by reaching out to people who may not know your business or services.
Just like on Twitter, try including some hashtags on Facebook live posts like #SmallBizSaturday or #ThrowbackThursday to help get more eyes on the video and encourage more people to learn about you and your company. The main benefit of using Facebook Live is that it’s easily accessible for you and your customers. Anyone with an active Facebook account can view these videos at any time during the day (or night) without having to download additional, creating instant content.
Figure Out What Content Engages Your Customers the Most and Capitalize on It
Social media has taught us pretty early on in its existence that people want their voices to be heard. As such, one of the best ways to engage with your customers is by asking them questions through polls or surveys.
Asking your customers questions about products could help you get valuable information that can improve future designs or lines of products. In addition, these short polls give you an indication of just how much interest there is in a particular topic. For example, if you post a poll asking which type of product people would like to see next from your company and the majority answer with “travel-sized products,” this gives you insight into what your customers want.
Provide Free Samples (Coupons)
One last way you can use social media sites to engage with your existing customer base is by providing free samples. This is an effective way to get customers interested in your company, and it will help you increase brand awareness.
You can make these coupons available on all of your social media accounts, offering them across many different platforms (even ones like Tumblr or Pinterest) instead of just using one specific channel. Keep in mind that this also helps break down barriers between you and your customers by making it possible for people who don’t follow you on Facebook or Twitter to find out about the promotion through other posts that they may see on their newsfeeds.
Paid Ads on Social Media Sites
If all of this sounds like too much work (or not enough), then you can always outsource some of your social media marketing activities by using paid ads on sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. These services allow companies to promote their business and increase brand awareness with targeted audiences at the click of a button.
The cost is usually reasonable but make sure to read through all the details about what you’re getting into before starting any campaigns. There are sometimes specific requirements that companies need for ads to be considered. For example, LinkedIn requires that ads be targeted to job titles and even specific companies to work effectively.
Personalize Customer Experiences
What social media is all about is providing your customers with a personalized customer experience, so it’s essential to take their time on your profiles as valuable and engaging as possible. Take the time to read through comments and interactions between you and your followers; this can help you gain insight into your customers’ wants and needs.
It could even help you uncover some of your most enthusiastic fans who not only keep coming back to see what’s new but also take the time out of their day to leave feedback. When appropriate, show these people some love by replying directly or thanking them for their input (just like we’ve seen many businesses do on Twitter).
Create a Relatable Brand Voice
The point of interacting with your customers on social media is to create a sense of trust and familiarity between you and them. As such, they must feel a connection with what you post online because it makes you more human in their eyes. On the other hand, if people see your company as another faceless corporation, then the chances are high that they won’t care about anything else you have to say. Therefore, you need to use a brand voice that is friendly, real, and relatable.
Making connections with your current customers is essential, but creating new relationships within the same community can also benefit your business. So while it’s easy to focus most of your efforts on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, please don’t neglect the opportunity other sites present to reach out through their unique channels.
About the Author
James Candace is an experienced social media marketing expert working with a digital agency. He also works as a technical writer for an online agency that provides help with assignment writing, including thesis, dissertation and essays. In his free time, he attends martial arts classes, watches docuseries on Netflix.
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