Trying to build brand awareness through social media? It’s not as easy you might expect…
For one thing, the competition is fierce. By some accounts, there are more than 100 million businesses on Facebook alone, and that doesn’t include thousands of other companies competing for attention on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest and virtually every other platform available.
Facebook ads are a great way to reach your target audience. They can be used as a marketing tool for your business.
With so much noise out there you need a plan to get your message heard – but what’s the best way to go about it?
Here are four tips: Peter DeCaprio
Tip #1 – Make sure your messages are “share worthy”
You can have all the followers in the world, but if none of them share your content with their friends you’ll never achieve broad reach. For example, you might have a low click-through rate on your ads, which can be improved by making sure the ad’s copy matches the landing page, or testing multiple images.
Start by looking at what others in your industry are doing right for ideas. For example, if one company is getting great traction with Facebook posts about a particular topic – say, social media marketing advice – and you write a post on the same subject that gets less engagement it’s time to step back and ask whether there’s anything you could do differently. Maybe your post doesn’t have enough visual appeal? Or perhaps it just isn’t compelling enough? In general, remember that people share things when they feel they’re interesting, valuable or entertaining. If you’re not achieving any of these things, it’s time for a re-think.
Tip #2 – Use multiple platforms to build your message
If you’re trying to create awareness for your brand or drive traffic to your website using social media the chances are you’ll be using Facebook and Twitter. But if you really want to maximize the impact of your messaging it makes sense to use other platforms as well. This can be anything from email marketing through to Pinterest, LinkedIn and Google+. For example, if you’re talking about how much money businesses can save by upgrading their IT systems one option might be to run a promotional giveaway on Facebook, followed by an email that links people back through to a special landing page where they can find out more. The key is that each platform has its own unique audience, so by using a mix of them you can ensure you get your message in front of the widest possible range of people.
Tip #3 – Use paid promotion to extend the reach of organic communication
Of course it’s important to use social media to build brand awareness but if you really want to make an impact sometimes there’s no substitute for spending money on paid promotion. There are several ways this can be achieved, including boosted posts or targeted ads on Facebook or Twitter. You might also find that email marketing works well for lead generation – just don’t forget to include links back through to your social profiles! Finally, don’t just think about digital advertising when looking at how to spend your budget – offline formats such as print and radio can also be effective. And if you use a traditional offline medium such as TV to promote your business make sure you supplement it with social media coverage so people can find out more after they’ve seen you mentioned on their screens.
Tip #4 – Focus on the benefits not the features
It’s easy to get hung up on what your product or service does, but remembers that it’s about what it means for your customers. For example, just because your product is high-tech doesn’t necessarily mean that consumers care – but if it improves productivity in some way then that’s something that might really interest them. When promoting yourself online always focus on how your solution helps people rather than just describing its technical specifications. This will make them more interested in engaging with your brand.
Conclusion by Peter DeCaprio:
Always focus on your customer value, Keep an open mind and be willing to test multiple channels. Aim high, always track your efforts and use learning to improve future performance.
Social media is one of the most powerful tools for creating awareness with customers. Whether through Facebook updates, Twitter feeds or LinkedIn posts it’s easier than ever before to build relationships with your audience without spending huge amounts of time or money. Of course this is all well and good but if you really want to maximize the impact of your marketing it’s important to approach your activity with a sound strategy.
