With social media marketing becoming more and more prevalent as most brands are going online, marketers and digital marketing agencies like MediaGroup Worldwide (MGWW) need to understand the types of best practices they can implement to gain a more competitive edge. After all, an estimated 42% of people use some type of social media. Therefore, marketers not only have a wealth of potential customers at their fingertips, but they must also be careful of their approach in a very visible and sensitive space. For those who are interested in getting ahead with their social media marketing and optimising their chances of doing well, here are a few tips to keep in mind and implement.
Be authentic
As Jenny Li Fowler, Director of Social Media Strategy at MIT said herself, “Today’s consumers seek authenticity, and a super polished or overly stylized piece of content isn’t it.” Right now, most social media platforms have seen a decline in aspirational, perfect-looking, and aesthetic-driven content, and a rise in more ‘scrappy’ and ‘lo-fi’ content instead. Most audiences are looking for content that is relatable – the good, the bad and the ugly too. This has been highlighted by the emergence of the social media app BeReal, which appears to focus on unfiltered and genuine content. Therefore, brands should aim to be more authentic to their audiences online. If you are not sure whether your brand is doing so, ask yourself a few questions, such as:
- Is our content true to the values we have claimed to follow?
- Does our brand deliver on what we promise?
- Are we serving the needs of our community and customers?
Post regularly
Most marketers agree that posting consistently is a major factor in building an audience. According to a survey, 81% of marketers stated that maintaining a regular posting schedule on social media positively impacts their business goals. That being said, it is vital that businesses strike the right balance between communicating and overwhelming their audience. For instance, data from the Sprout Social Index revealed that 74% of consumers think that the sweet spot for brands publishing on social media is one or two posts a day. However, it is important to note that this number is based on what consumers see in their newsfeeds. As most platforms are based on using different algorithms, certain brands may need to post more often to make sure their posts actually reach their target audience.
Be serious about videos
While some traditional conglomerates may see video – especially short-form video – to be juvenile and unprofessional, it does not change that short-form video has skyrocketed recently. As such, many brands are now taking it more seriously and are starting to dip their toes into this format. With consumers’ increasing demand, marketers will have their hands full in video production to keep up with what they want. So, you can either choose to do everything in-house (which may need you to hire and onboard extra personnel), or you can choose to outsource production to a production company or a digital marketing agency.
Show testimonials
Most people would agree that word-of-mouth marketing has never truly gone away – instead, it’s just changed form. So, this means brands can utilise reviews and testimonials from previous customers or clients to help boost their reputation. Even data has demonstrated that 39% of audiences enjoy seeing social content from brands that features customer testimonials in them. You can also showcase user-generated content on your brand’s social media platform. This likely helps your brand seem more authentic and relatable to your target audience, meaning they are more likely to convert and become a paying customer. If they truly do enjoy working with you, they are also more likely to freely spread the word about your brand’s product or service. In essence – they become your own mini-ambassador, without you needing to pay for all that marketing yourself!
Respond to customers quickly
Research has shown that most customers expect some type of response from brands in less than 24 hours, with most marketers reporting that organisations tend to respond within two hours. Brands that failed to meet these expectations are at risk of losing customers and lowering their reputation. In fact, a brand’s response rate has steadily declined from 2020 to 2022. So, make sure that your marketing team has the tools and manpower to respond quickly and efficiently. Not surprisingly, 40% of customers who have reached out to brands are likely to encourage their family and friends to buy from businesses that provide timely responses.
Research ideal customer
The main thing about social media marketing is not reaching a large number of people, but rather reaching the right people. Thus, brands need to thoroughly research their ideal target audience or customer. You can do this by creating an audience persona, and asking yourself a few questions such as what are their demographics (age, gender, region, and main language to name a few). You can also research what their main hobbies are, their pain points/problems, where they usually gather and communicate online, and more. Only by understanding your audience can you create targeted content that caters to their needs and shows up on their timeline. Overall, when it comes to social media marketing (or marketing in general), if you try to target everyone, you target no one.
Check out your competitors
Sometimes, before diving straight into posting online, it may behove you to check what your competitors are doing. This is essential to setting up an informed marketing strategy so that you can strategize how to set yourself apart from the competition. Plus, with most social media platforms allowing you to analyse and see people’s analytics, you can set up an audit in no time. A few questions you may want to ask yourself are:
- What media and messages are being published often? Are they images, videos, or user-generated content? Which seems to be getting the most engagement?
- What demographics does your competitor seem to be targeting? Who is their target audience?
- How much are they spending on marketing?
- How frequently are they posting online?
- Are they partnering with other businesses or using influencers? If so, who are they partnering with and why?
- What kind of content seems to be performing well, and what doesn’t?
Answering these questions will likely give you some form of insight into improving your social media marketing campaigns, in addition to standing out from the crowd. You may want to audit your competitors at least every year so you can see what new strategies they may be implementing. Also, you can also check out what other industries are doing to see what the latest trend is, and whether you can apply that to your campaigns.
