Social Media Straight Talk

by | Dec 28, 2022 | Marketing, Social Media

Young Girl Performing Social Media on A Computer

Do you even know WHY you want Social Media Traffic to your site?

How many times have have you felt as if your social media is not working for you? Do you feel as if you are all over the place, allocating all sorts of resources to “be social”, and despite your efforts, you do not see any significant impact through increased visitors to your place of business or website?

If I were a business owner and putting all sorts of time, energy and money into a marketing tactic that bore no results, I too would question my ability to make smart business decisions.

So, let’s talk STRAIGHT UP Social Media. No sugar coating allowed!

For starters, it is important to understand that SOCIAL MEDIA is only one of THREE pieces of the DIGITAL MARKETING puzzle. (SEO and content marketing are the other two and we will discuss later in more detail – so you may want to BOOKMARK MY BLOG)

Social media marketing is the art of tapping into the conversations that happen on social networks for marketing purposes.

The intent of social media is to generate web traffic from social networks back to your website through eye-catching content in the form of a photo, video, or blog. This content is shared on social media and offers a hyperlink back to your business website for visitors to E$NGAGE.

This is organic SEO designed to increase website traffic. This approach is only useful when you are offering a product or service that someone is interested in! Therefore, understanding your target market is a MUST. Get a jumpstart by performing due diligence and conduct some online research. Have a solid understanding that your offer is appropriately aimed at those who have expressed an interest. If your aim is off, you will completely miss the ‘target’.

Social media marketing is about providing VALUE to your target market.

When fulfilling a need through your product or service, you must add VALUE in order to make your offer worth consideration.

Consider our case study:

Our client The Friend Ship Friendesha is an adorable children’s book. The books focus on anti-bullying and acceptance. We also search for topics relevant to children ages K-2, (the demographic of our books). If our Google analytics reveal that most of the buyers are single parents between the ages of 25-30, we will add articles on dating as a single parent or managing being a single working parent. The objective being to ADD VALUE by keeping the focus on our consumer’s interests.

WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS:
  • COST EFFECTIVE How many reading this article remember the days of the $8000 print campaign in magazines or newspapers? We won’t even TOUCH on the cost of not only producing but then purchasing time on air or television for a commercial. When comparing to traditional marketing costs – social media is still very effective.
  • MEASURABLE  I know an ad in the New York Times could POTENTIALLY be seen by their massive readership – but do you REALLY know how many actually looked, let alone read it? With tools like SproutSocial, HootSuite and more, you can actually SEE how often your content is being shared, clicked through, etc.
  • TRUSTWORTHY One needs thick skin to be social. If people do not like what you are sharing, they will let you know by either not sharing, unfollowing, or EVEN WORSE – posting their negative sentiments.
WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT:
  • EASY The ability to generate valuable, relevant content with an ‘edge’ is no simple feat – even for people who consider themselves creative.
  • FAST This is not an overnight get rich quick kind of thing. It takes a commitment of AT LEAST 90 days to start seeing results from your social media initiatives.
  • FREE Whether you are willing to make an investment of time or money (or both), a considerable commitment to either (or both) is NECESSARY to be successful with your social media strategies.

In summary

Social Media is the art of creating valuable content, placing it on your own website and then EFFECTIVELY sharing it with the world.

  • Social media is understanding the direct relationship between providing VALUABLE content and generating traffic to your site.
  • Social media is establishing your business, products or services as an INDUSTRY leader by providing useful, knowledgeable and quality content on your site.
  • Social media is discovering what your audience wants and to providing EXACTLY that.
  • Social media is offering your audience content that is valuable.
  • Social media is understanding your targeted market.
  • Social media is conducting online research BEFORE you become social.

Tips for success: Visit your competition to measure their performance. Find them by looking up keywords relevant to your product and service. Search for your targeted markets online ‘hangouts’. Visit those hangouts and start talking to your targeted audience by sharing your content. Sign up for various Facebook/Group pages based on keywords and start engaging with their members.

Bottom line is that social media is used for the purpose of increasing website traffic with the goal of INCREASING EXPOSURE OPPORTUITIES for new business.

If you are not feeling confident that you can do justice to your products or services – when crafting your social media content – CONTACT Invoke Solutions We are happy to help!

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