Want to find new potential customers in their natural habitat?
Then social media is the place to be.
During a campaign, a business might send emails to specific customers
or distribute flyers to particular neighborhoods.
Social media extends a brand's reach to a much wider audience.
Every social media platform is different.
It's essential to consider the specifics of each platform.
A business using one or two platforms
really well will get better results than a business using every platform poorly.
Facebook is the place to appeal to a broad audience.
Instagram is image-based. So content should be more visual and inspiring.
Fun and spontaneous video content can be used on TikTok or Facebook or Instagram Stories.
Twitter is the place for a series of engaging tweets to generate interest and clicks.
And LinkedIn posts might focus around how the promotion benefits businesses or professionals.
On any platform, consider the design of the business profile and page.
Even a small round profile image conveys something.
Here, the best approach is a logo, brand color, or simple image.
During campaigns, change the profile image so it jumps out when users see it in their feed.
Covers or header images are large horizontal images sitting at the page top.
These need to be fresh, current, and entice users to click.
They're perfect for promoting a campaign or special event.
Simple designs that inspire and catch the eye are great.
Use the caption area for longer descriptions and links.
The cover and profile image are often seen in relation to each other.
So make sure they each tell a part of the story.
Dimensions are different for each platform. So always check the specs.
Social media is all about community businesses who create content
for their community show they're interested and engaged.
Great content adds value to the lives of an audience.
Campaigns are often a strategic combination of organic and paid content.
An interesting post will be liked, commented on, and shared.
This is called engagement. The more engagement, the more it will be dropped in the feed of others.
This is organic growth.
Organic posts should feel editorial, not advertising.
Think posts, production features, business insights, and inspiring quotes.
Links to articles of interest are also great.
Tags, captions, and hashtags will help the content get noticed.
A regular supply of organic content gets an
audience accustomed to seeing the business on the platform.
They might even develop a feeling of kinship.
With an active feed, campaign posts will feel like a natural development.
The only cost involved is the time taken to produce the content.
For that reason, successful organic content is very powerful.
Paid content refers to advertising. What is the aim of a campaign?
All of this can be designated using social media tools.
When advertising on social media, a great deal of control is possible
including the ability to test different ads and campaigns
and make adjustments over the life of a campaign.
Paid content will look more like advertising, but it should still feel valuable.
That way, paid ads will fit right in as part of the business' social presence.
Facebook or Instagram stories are fun and spontaneous and will further engage the audience.
This is all about bringing an audience in so they feel part of things.
Think about behind the scenes content videos of owners chatting about
exciting offers or interactive polls.
Footage of parcels being packed and shipped sounds mundane,
but will show that exciting things are happening.
Social platforms generate powerful insights and analytics about an audience.
Harnessing this, a business can promote 2 very specific demographics.
For example, if a business' audience is made up of mostly those who identify as women
aged 18 to 24, the business can target more of this audience or it might devise
a strategy to find desirable customers in other age brackets.
A business wanting to generate more foot traffic can advertise to people living
within a specific radius or try and entice people from another location to come visit.
Social media ads also target specific interest groups.
For example, a bookstore can promote to users who express an interest in reading.
If they're having a sale on travel books,
they can narrow the focus to readers who enjoy traveling and learning about the world.
It's powerful stuff. There's no denying the power of social media in our lives.
When it comes to promoting a business on social media,
find the right audience in their most natural habitat
and then look for ways to promote but also add value to their feed.
That way, it's a win-win for both of you.