Date: 14th May 2015
The world of Social Media is well and truly here to stay. Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram are now part of most people’s daily routines, forming part of their extended social network. Yet many small business are still struggling to get to grips with what it means to be ‘social’ online.
For a large number of business owners, the main hurdle is seeing the value in what Social Media represents. What financial gain does spending hours ‘clicking on Like buttons’ hold for your company? It’s a classic case of not understanding this new market properly, which could be to the detriment of your business.
In terms of advertising, the social media market is much like any other; be it the high street, television, or publishing. Just like traditional advertising platforms, it’s all about making sure your brand or product maintains customer visibility. The great thing about social media is that much of the ‘advertising’ can be done for free. However, there’s a catch; if you appear to use social media just to advertise or push product then you risk alienating your customers.
To get the most out of the social media experience, stop thinking about advertising and start thinking about having a real conversation with your customers. As an example; instead of simply selling shoes, share, post, comment and talk about what is in fashion this season; why your top selling hiking boots are great for exploring the outdoors or who popped in to the store last week. Turning the hard sell into an all encompassing conversation about your products, lifestyle and experience makes for a much more interesting read.
Slowly but surely your new online audience will come to expect the best commentary, shared content and product knowledge from your business. In short; you’ll not only have a growing audience, but an audience who trust your opinion and your brand. Trust, we all know is a key factor to generating sales. One way or another your social media activity will eventually lead to an increase in business.
Some may say that all this engagement may seem like a long way to go in order to sell a few pairs of shoes, but there is more to the story. Finally those faceless numbers behind your newspaper ad or print campaign have turned into real people you can not only converse with, but solve their problems, answer their questions and respond to their feedback. The old one way traffic of advertising has turned into a two way relationship between you and your customer. That can only be a good thing for both parties.
If your business is in need of a refresher course in social media or you need support with your online marketing, feel free to get in touch. Total Brand manage many social media accounts for our clients. We can grow your online presence while you focus on growing your business. Get in touch if you’d like to know more.
Daniel Sweeney
Total Brand
Posted in: Graphic Design Blog
Tags: Advertising, Facebook, Google Plus, Instagram, Social Media, Twitter