Moving Forward With Social Media
Social Media is imperative to competitive marketing and is an easy way to promote your business with minimal setup required. With the growing number of Social Media users today, having your business on a diverse number of readily available platforms will heighten the chance of your site being found in search engines that extend further than simply Google. And, the best part of it all? It’s free. A golden ticket to connect your inbound marketing strategy to real life people.
Each of the Social Media platforms out there, along with well-over fifty others that cater to more specific media needs (for example: Google+, YouTube, Vimeo, Delicious, Hootsuite, Tumblr, Flikr, Klout, Instagr.am, Pinterest, and many, many more), are all free of charge to become a member. And, they typically all include some form of analytic tracking system that allows you to see where your users are engaging. You’d be silly to not take advantage of their presence, as people are now using Social Media to share ideas, news and social trends and you, in turn, can learn about your potential client demographics and they about you. We’ve compiled a list of the top three that you can’t miss out on. Chances are you’re already signed up for all of them, but are you optimizing their services to benefit your business?
1. Facebook: The Godfather of Social Networking
As the leading social network, Facebook currently has over 800 million active users with each of those users connected to an average of 80 pages .1 This statistic is on an exponential rise (let’s face it, Facebook is here to stay), proving to be more than just a social trend, so your presence on the platform is crucial to be a reputable competitor within your industry. With the number of users who are familiarized with Facebook, the platform is essentially a landing page for your business in its user-friendly format that sits on a socially relatable level to any type of user. After all, its format mimics their own personal profile, so your existence there too becomes that much more human for them as opposed to simply existing on a website or sidebar advertisement.
When you create a business page on Facebook, you instantly create a platform for generating company awareness. Facebook is constructed as a community and has a built-in search engine that allows users to search the site’s pages for keywords and types of businesses in their line of needs. Facebook will categorize you, for example, under “Denver graphic design” and your keywords stand competitive with other businesses in your industry. Research your industry’s community and start reaching out by sharing content from your blog on your wall that may be of interest to them. Facebook’s “Newsfeed” feature is a great thing to incorporate into your inbound strategy, allowing you to target a specific group with a specific article topic. Now, go network!
2. Twitter: What Can You Say In Only 140 Characters?
Though seemingly more simplistic than Facebook, allowing users to input only 140 characters in the form of a headline, Twitter is a Social Media platform that actually requires a lot more creativity than it does at first glance. It enforces a character maximum that requires an innovative and imaginative vocabulary, along with the knowledge of creative wordplay, social interests and popular culture to truly engage with followers. It’s a challenge to your marketing skills as a creative professional, pushing you to delve into using those words that we’ve all forgotten.
As a user on Twitter, one can see what their competition is posting, the saturation of certain markets or trending topics and with the number of pages to follow, you can see which types of headlines work and which ones don’t. With URL analytic tracking sites such as bit.ly or ow.ly, you can add shortened links to your tweets and figure out how to effectively engage with your followers by seeing where their click on your profile.
3. LinkedIn: Professional Connections
If your small business isn’t already registered with LinkedIn, you’re missing out on a reservoir of networking opportunity and inbound marketing wealth. Although similar to Facebook or Google+ in status updates and direct comments and messages, LinkedIn is different in that it is structured entirely with the small business in mind. The platform offers a greater opportunity to promote your products and services while simultaneously connecting more directly within your industry than any other platform. If you’re not already connected, LinkedIn is the perfect place to implement your inbound marketing strategy and actually become noticed, as social media is a key element to keyword use and search optimization and there is noticeably less spam or user chatter on their version of the “newsfeed.”
4. What’s Up With Google+?
Google+ is a hot topic of discussion, as users don’t seem quite sure as to how it’s any different from the platforms already out there. The ever-rising success of Facebook has certainly overshadowed the presence of Google’s social networking site, as nothing new is really being offered; however, Google+ does appear to be an advantage to those Google savvy individuals who prefer to have all of their online engagements (Gmail, Google Docs, Calendars, Google Voice, etc.) in one place. Google has certainly revolutionized human connections online, so Google+ is simply their extension further into social media.
At Hero, we’ve discovered that incorporating Social Media into our daily regiment is a great way to engage and explore throughout the labyrinth that the Internet has become. Is your Social Media plan optimized for you to connect with everyone you should be? What’s important to think about is where your ideal clients are actively engaging. Navigating through all of the platforms out there can be overwhelming when you’re not sure where these clients are hiding. Need help finding them? We’ll help you find your niche in the market and help you with a social media plan that will directly elevate your inbound marketing plan. Give us a call.
