Social Media Marketing: three solutions to common problems

Fortune 500 companies know how incredibly powerful social media can be for brand awareness and customer/client acquisition, which is why they all maintain active accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other, similar sites. Social media marketing is one way for companies to keep in touch with current clients and customers, plus it is one of the most cost-effective and interactive formats for reaching potential buyers. So, how are you or your company leveraging social media in your marketing strategy?

Most of our clients are somewhat aware of social media because they use Facebook to keep in touch with family/friends, and some have a LinkedIn account to maintain a professional profile online. Some are more active than others, but few know how to use social media to support business goals and objectives. We’ve identified three common mistakes companies make in social media marketing.

Problem #1: not doing anything at all.

This is the most common problem among small to mid-sized businesses; it is also the easiest to solve. The companies who have been sitting on the social media sidelines for the last several years have missed one of the most lucrative frontiers of technology. Reasons for this inactivity include: fear of technology, lack of awareness about how social media works as a business tool, or an unwillingness to invest the resources needed to tap into this dimension of marketing.

Solution #1: just get started!

Setting up social media accounts is a bit time-consuming, tedious and can be tricky, but there are plenty of online marketing firms who have specialists that can do this in their sleep. If you’re the adventurous type, you can always jump into the fray and DIY. Regardless of how you decide to take a step forward in this area, it is always a step in the right direction. Social media isn’t going anywhere, and it is about time you got off the bench.

 Problem #2: trying to force the message.

There is a right way and a wrong way to do social media marketing. Talking about yourself or your business all the time, while it might seem natural, is an excellent way to turn potential clients and customers off…it comes across a little like the self-absorbed person who incessantly talks about themselves at a cocktail party. Sending out link after link about your website and accomplishments gets old—fast.

Solution #2: just be helpful and engage naturally.

Your customers and clients don’t care about 99% of the things you do…the question you’ve got to answer is: ‘How does what you sell make a positive difference in my life?’ This means using your social accounts to offer helpful tips, a funny joke, an interesting observation, or a discount on your product/service–people react positively to someone who just wants to help. So the best way to use social media is to establish a helpful dialogue with your demographic, but establishing and maintaining that dialogue is easier said than done.

Problem #3: obsessing/ignoring.

Some companies and businesses, aware of their need to be involved in social media, make the mistake of obsessing. It takes time, effort and some creative thought to generate a positive online presence. However most professionals and business owners cannot afford the time to keep abreast of what is happening on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter on a daily basis. Depending on your product or service, one of these networks may be a more ‘target rich’ environment than others.

Solution #3: relax and participate

In today’s world of advanced technology, having a website is no longer enough in order to maintain an online presence for your company.  Even though this type of online tool was once an integral element that automatically put you on the path towards achieving success and longevity in your respective industry, it now functions solely as a stepping stone that you need to cross in order to move on to bigger and better things.

In the same way, social media is part of doing business in the 21st century. You don’t need to obsess about having the perfect social signals, but you would be foolish to ignore their importance for reaching and interacting with your customers. Ignoring social is like ignoring current and potential customers…not a wise move.

Over the past decade, social networking websites have evolved from being fun websites to use to connect to old friends and relatives into one of the most effective marketing tools that is currently being used by millions of professionals and thousands of companies.  Whether you would like to admit it or not, social media marketing has revolutionized the traditional way that businesses use to advertise their products and services. Your business needs to be part of the discussion.

The Networking Power of Social Media

 Social networking websites are designed for you to be able to connect with a massive number of people with fairly minimal effort.   Being able to reach and communicate the number of friends, co-workers and family members that you can reach within seconds on such websites as Facebook and Twitter would literally take several months and even years to do using the traditional methods of old.

This presents an advantageous situation for businesses as well, which is why it has become so popular with companies around the globe.  They are able to finally achieve a level of international exposure that many businesses would have never been able to achieve on their own without this type of effective online marketing working on their behalf.

The Benefits of Social Media Marketing

 By investing in social media marketing for your business, you will be able to reach out to prospective customers and existing clients on a global scale within seconds.  You can use this connection to advertise new products, services and promotions within seconds instead of spending thousands and even millions of dollars to have official advertising materials designed, developed, printed and then distributed in order to achieve a comparable level of exposure.

Even though you may feel as if handling the responsibility of managing social media marketing for your business is easy enough for you to take care of without any type of professional assistance, you should reconsider your line of thinking and seriously consider making that type of investment.

Experts in quality social media marketing, Greenwich SEO will be able to deliver you the results that you want to be generated from your company’s online presence.

-William Potter