In an ongoing conversation about how your business can and should integrate social media marketing into your complete campaign, this week we continuing discussing the ways to discern how and why to select your social media methodology. Last week, we talked about identifying your goals and assigning a budget. Now that you know what you’re seeking and how much you can spend, you’re ready to select the content:
Consider your media. On the Internet, you have an array of options when it comes to the format of your social media advertising; you are not restricted to stagnant banners and links. Are you interested in principally creating a dialogue with interested individuals? This can be done via discussion forums or posts that invite comments. Or would you rather post a video on the Web to entertain and intrigue viewers, who may also be inclined to share it elsewhere? You may wish to initiate sweepstakes or contests that generate video content as well as conversation and viral success. Different options require differing amounts of work, time and financial commitment on your end, and there’s no single solution that’s best for every business. So be sure to consider your unique needs and availability for operations once the campaign is launched.
Know your audience. Social media marketing is practically expected by a certain demographic; but it may not be for everyone. For example, will patients choose a doctor based on his or her tweets? You need to determine if your target audience will make purchasing decisions based on a strong viral campaign. Or are they more likely to react to a well-placed television commercial or billboard on their commute to work?
Test the waters. Although Mad 4 Marketing believes in integrating diverse campaign tactics to approach prospective buyers from all angles, sometimes you can actually miss the mark by spreading your budget into unfamiliar territory that won’t provide the highest ROI. Accurate, tested, pinpoint marketing is also always valuable. We recommend:
- Have a website up, no matter what
- Get your blog started and encourage visitors to comment
- Track your traffic and the activity of users on your page
- Survey your key demographic to see how social media fits into decision-making
- Start with one effort that you can focus on; if your Facebook Fan Page can get a certain number of “likes,” like 5,000, this may mean you’re ready to expand
Ready to learn more and discuss the best social media marketing for your business? Clearly you already found us on the Web, so Mad 4 Marketing must be doing something right! You’re just a few clicks away, so now all you need to do is Contact Us.