Social media marketing has become the must-have marketing strategy for 2010 and is― or should be ― at the top of every business’ priority list.
But how do you ensure that your social media marketing efforts make sense for YOUR business, connect you with YOUR target markets, and drive the results YOU need?
Because of the viral power and two-way instant interaction that social networks offer, they serve as a powerful vehicle to engage existing customers, build brand awareness and reach new prospects. But the key word is VEHICLE. Like other marketing and advertising mediums, social networks are only as good as the marketing strategy and content behind them.
Whether you are just getting started with social media marketing, or have already jumped into the virtual fray, here are six key steps to ensure a successful social media strategy for your business in 2010.
1. Have a Plan: Before setting up social network accounts for your business, identify what it is you want to accomplish with them and how you plan to accomplish that goal. Do you want to drive customers and prospects to an event? Keep them up to date on company news? Launch a virtual customer loyalty program? Generate more Web traffic? How do you plan to build your social networks? Do you have a customer base to start with? Or are you starting from scratch? Understanding what your goals are ahead of time will help you to develop a strategy that drives the results you want.
2. Leverage as Many Social Networks as Make Sense: Facebook and Twitter have emerged as powerful marketing and outreach mediums for businesses, but they aren’t the only social networks to consider. If your business is in the b2b space, setting up a LinkedIn business group and tapping the LinkedIn contacts of you and your colleagues is critical. Want to take your message out visually? If so, posting videos on YouTube is a must. There are numerous other social networks that reach specific target markets. The key is to identify these networks and then utilize as many as possible for your business.
3. Start a Blog: A company blog is its own form of social networking and can serve as a linchpin to your social media marketing efforts. Why? 1) It gives you fresh, relevant content to provide to customers and prospects. 2) It drives search engine traffic – which can significant increase visits to your site (assuming you incorporate your blog into your Web site –which is critical). 3) It allows you to engage in two-way interaction with your audience, which opens the door to fun, interactive promotions.
4. Advertise Your Social Networks: It doesn’t do any good to set up social networks if customers and prospects don’t know they exist. And to fully maximize your social marketing efforts, every person in your company needs to be on board. Along with featuring social network icons prominently on your company Web site, they need to be advertised in every customer touch-point available – including e-mail signatures, e-newsletters, company brochures, and any TV, radio or print advertising.
5. Think Promotion: It only takes looking at the hundreds of promotions being launched through Facebook and Twitter daily to understand that today’s customers like to engage in interactive communication with businesses, and liked to be rewarded for their participation. Though Facebook has recently added some restrictions to promotions offered through its platform, there are still numerous ways to utilize Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other social media outlets to deliver innovative, compelling promotions that build your social network fan base and motivate customers and prospects to act.
6. Stay Engaged: When it comes to social networks, getting the fans is the easy part. It’s keeping them that’s hard. Interesting, relevant content is the glue that keeps you and your network connected. Frequent communication through social network updates, blogs, press releases, discussion and promotions will ensure that you keep your audience members engaged and coming back for more.
