You are already on the social media bandwagon with your business, right? You’ve set up a Facebook page and asked your customers to “Like” it, you do a little tweeting here and there. But is it really increasing your revenue?
Social media continues to evolve. Newbies like SnapChat and Periscope are already changing the marketing world. Nothing stays the same for long in social media; trends and user preferences change frequently. So, in the constantly shifting sands of this kind of landscape, how do you develop and promote your brand successfully?
1 – GO VISUAL
Visual marketing will be king in 2016. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but what about a video? Think about how a short tutorial could impact the way in which customers view your product and your brand. A company that executes this brilliantly is WaterField Designs in San Francisco. Watch one of their product videos here and imagine the impact this kind of short video could have when strategically placed on social media.
When it comes to going visual, Pinterest and Instagram are (currently) in power. Pinterest reports that 2 million people post product pins each day. Pinners are shoppers, too, and 96% of active Pinterest users report that they use Pinterest to gather product information before a purchase. This means that users are using social media sites (instead of a traditional search engine) as search platforms in their purchasing decision process. In the service industry, Instagram can be leveraged to promote your brand. Many locally-owned businesses, particularly restaurants, partner with bloggers and Instagrammers to post photos from an experience inside their business. A user perceives a photo on Instagram from a “real person” as an effective testimony because it is coming from a person like themselves.
2 – USE INSTANT UPDATES
What happened last week is so, well, last week. Consumers expect updates about your business today. You will want to engage your customers with things like time-sensitive offers and platform-specific sales. Give users a sneak peek at upcoming products and services. Possibly give your customers a chance to voice their opinions during your product development process by inviting comments on social media. Build quality relationships online by offering an opportunity for real-time interaction (be mindful of customer privacy on social media, though).
3 – SELL YOUR CULTURE
A good product is nice, but it’s not enough these days. Many customers are very culture-focused and will want to know your brand story and brand values before purchasing. The millennial generation is a great example of this trend. Most millennials are sensitive to environmental issues and they will be more likely to purchase from a company that recycles (and posts about it) or contributes a percentage of sales to rainforest preservation in South America.
Promoting your unique culture and brand information is more important than ever. Social media sites are the perfect vehicle to disseminate this information. Just remember to update and re-enforce your message frequently!
Raleigh businesses are choosing Morris Marketing to get in the social media game. How can we help you succeed in this critical arena? Call us for a consultation at 919.424.8314.
