By Paul Skeldon
Source: Telemedia Online
Social media has become one of the most crucial tools of any business’ digital marketing strategy. Companies can now reach more potential customers all through the power of the Internet and its global community.
People are generally in a consumer mindset and not in business-mode when they go online because of the personal nature of social media. Thus, it makes more sense for business-to-consumer (B2C) companies to invest more time, effort, and money on cultivating their online presence.
B2C companies surveyed by Clutch and Smart Insights admitted that social media facilitated the increase of their revenue and sales. Their preferred platforms are Facebook and YouTube. B2C companies also post more original content (82%) compared to business-to-business (B2B) companies (74%). More and more people are using social media to make payments and business owners should take advantage of that growth.
Due to their different natures, a digital marketing tactic for B2C companies may not work as effectively for B2B companies. B2B enterprises have a longer sales cycle since there are more people involved in decision making as opposed to B2C businesses that speak directly to the decision-makers, i.e. the consumers.
It is best to tailor your strategies according to the plans and goals you want to accomplish. Here are some tips on how to make the most out of your brand’s social media profile for maximum exposure.
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Build a good following list
For you to get followers, you need to follow legit, relevant accounts first. This is a vital first step in letting your audience know that you are part of the industry. You will see that, once you do this, you will already gain some followers.
More importantly, though, following legitimate and active accounts in your business account will give you an idea of what content your target audience likes and dislikes. You can also interact with these other businesses and even create meaningful partnerships with them to increase your exposure.
Find key influencers in your niche who have a favorable follow-to-following ratio. When they are followed by many people but follow only a few, it shows that they are selective about the posts they see on their feeds. You can also join groups and communities on Facebook and Google+ to see which profiles make valuable contributions.
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Create content consumers want to see
Significant followers will take the time to check out your profile first before subscribing to you. Be sure that you have the following:
- A detailed profile – Make sure that your bio builds excitement for people to want to follow you. Include keywords that customers can use to find you. Upload attractive images as your cover photos or profile picture.
- A noteworthy feed – It’s best always to produce content that is valuable to your customers. Add more value to your profile by providing free information such as training material and ways to use your products. Meet consumer needs by using your account to extend customer service.
- Remember that most social media users are almost always on their phones now so make sure that your content is mobile-friendly. Mobile searches are replacing those done on a desktop so be sure that your content is informative and engaging—yet concise enough—to appeal to readers who are on the go.
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Stay active and engage with your followers
Having an active social media presence is the most important thing you should be doing to gain exposure for your brand. Social media users no longer want to see external links that direct them to your profile. They want something that can effortlessly be opened on the platform.
Comment on posts that mention you or retweet them to show your followers that you’re not a bot. Be present in others’ social threads, especially the key influencers in your network.