Social Networking
Social networking is often presented as the magic fairy dust that will whisk away all of your marketing problems and hand you a ready-made audience that’s eager to buy. Sorry, it’s not. But social media can offer some great benefits as one aspect of a targeted marketing campaign. As you work out whether online social networking is for you, consider these five benefits it can bring to your marketing strategy.
- Claim your social presence
Your customers are on Facebook and Twitter, not only that, they’re blogging. If you haven’t established yourself in the online social networking community, they’ll do it for you. When they do, you’ll have no control over whether their viewpoint will be positive or negative. By proactively staking your claim on popular social networking sites, you can intercept negative feedback by seeking to resolve problems, answer questions, and provide explanations. - Promote conversation with customers
Today’s consumers are much more relational than previous generations of shoppers. They want to talk to a real person, see some personality, and share their own thoughts and feelings. Give them a place to do this where you can be involved in the conversation so one bad experience won’t spiral into a marketing nightmare. - Increase website traffic
Facebook and Twitter are great places to post links to new website content. When you add a new video, article, or blog post, include the link on your social networking sites so people remember to stop for a visit. - Build brand loyalty and trust
Online networking sites provide exposure for your brand. Keeping your name and logo in front of your target audience will keep you in the forefront of their minds. Also, responding regularly to post comments will build a sense of loyalty and trust in your readers as they come to rely on your industry knowledge. - Reach the unreached
Facebook’s exponential growth has provided a goldmine for businesses to reach audiences they might otherwise never have contact with. Take advantage of this opportunity by creating posts that people will want to share with their friends. Great content, games, videos, and giveaways can all promote sharing and increase your fan base.
If you’re ready to tap into the potential of online social networking, start with just one site. Develop your presence on that site thoroughly before branching out. Avoid getting in too deep too quickly and you’ll soon be reaping the benefits of social networking.