The communication and purchasing behavior of today’s consumer and/or business has shifted rapidly in the last few years. People are getting important information via increasingly interactive mediums such as social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) and mobile messages.
This transformation in how people obtain information requires a shift in the way marketers message and interact with their target audiences.
One-way communication (or “push” marketing) is now only one piece of a marketer’s toolset. Two-way mediums such as social media marketing (SMM) are experiencing explosive adoption because they encourage meaningful interaction between marketers and their audience.
But marketers are struggling to identify the best way to get started with SMM, and how to integrate it with other interactive tools such as email.
The most commonly-used social media marketing sites and mediums are Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and general blogging. A brief definition of each follows:
Twitter is a free micro-blogging service that enables its users to post, read and share the updates and messages of other users. These posts are referred to as Tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length which are displayed on a user’s profile page and visible to other users who have subscribed to them (known as followers). Senders can restrict delivery to those in their circle of followers or, allow anybody to access them.
Users can send and receive Tweets via the Twitter Website, Short Message Service (SMS) or external applications. The service is free for use over the Internet, but use of SMS text messaging may incur phone service provider fees.
LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003. It is mainly used for professional networking. It allows you to connect with current and former colleagues or friends in your personal professional network.
Then by extension, you are connected to the “colleagues of your colleagues” which expands your personal network. As of February 2009, it had more than 35 million registered users, spanning 170 industries.
Facebook is a free social networking site that is operated by Facebook, Inc. Users can join networks organized in a multitude of ways such as by interest area, by school, by location, or by company. Users create a personal profile and then add friends and send messages to interact with others.
A blog is simply an online location through which people interact and express their opinions to each other. It’s a forum for personal expression and communication around a topic area of interest to that particular group. There are hundreds of thousands of blogs that focus on every topic imaginable.
Before you plan email marketing or Website-related programs that incorporate social media marketing, you’ll want to start by defining your target.
Find out where your target is:
The key to a good social media marketing plan starts like any other marketing plan – define your target and find out where they are.
For social media marketing you’ll need to do a little sleuthing to find out where you target is “hanging out” online. Once you determine where they spend time, listen to what they are saying and find out what interests them.
One of the greatest benefits of social media is that it allows you to listen and learn from conversations. Think of it as a big cocktail party filled with your prospects and customers – there are lots of interesting and relevant conversations happening all around your market, brand, etc. Start by searching keywords and/or topics that your target may search – as they relate to your product or service.
Look for blogs as well as other social sites. Then spend some time perusing those sites, to see how your target uses them. For instance, if you’re in the business of selling ebooks or membership sites, you might search “ebook prices” or “ebooks prices blog” to find blogs in that particular area. Or, if you know the demographics of your target, you can search social network sites accordingly.
After you have defined your target, you’ll want to get started ina few “starter” programs. Here are some starter programs (and tips) you might also want to consider:
Start with LinkedIn:
If you do business-to-business marketing, you may want to start with LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a widely-utilized professional networking site and it’s a solid starting point for most any business-related social media marketing.
Most LinkedIn members are looking for business-specific connections or content, so they will likely be more receptive to your business invitations and Discussions than those on less business-oriented sites.
As with any other social medium, your network will grow on its own as long as you consistently circulate content that is meaningful and relevant to your target audience.
Set up an account for your company on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter:
Once you have firmly identified your target audience and their characteristics, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter may be a good next step for you in the social marketing world.
Keep in mind that in order for these sites to be relevant to your target, you will need to tend each of these properties like you would a garden – with consistent care.
Link across your existing programs:
You should take every opportunity to post links to your social networking pages on your Website, corporate email signatures, marketing materials, etc. The easier it is for customers and prospects to find you online, the more potential you have to turn them into fans or followers.
Contribute to an existing blog:
Develop and post relevant and engaging content/comments on social media sites, such as an existing blog that invites participation. Create a conversation about a topic of interest to your target. Then ask people to contribute their opinions and personal experiences.
Be careful not to just post a blatant advertisement highlighting the low rates you can offer first-time home buyers — that is the kind of content that backfires in the social networking world.
Build a blog on your own domain:
Start a blog that lives on a portion of your existing Website. Post engaging content daily and provide a comment features or build a forums . Link the blog to your social networking pages (and vice versa) to drive more interaction, attract new participants and, ultimately, to establish your company as a trusted advisor and thought leader within your industry or area of specialization.
Set up a formal customer feedback loop :
Listening, as we mentioned earlier, is a critical component of social engagement, be it online or offline. So use social mediums as one way to listen to your customers. For instance, you may want to establish a formal customer feedback loop that engages with you via a Group on Facebook, or via some other social network. This can be a fast and cost-efficient way to listen to your key customers.
Get the message right:
Today, the message is even more important, as it will likely be shared with thousands of people with the click of a button. Your messages are being distributed and accessed via email, social and mobile channels – whether you know it or not. So make your messages relevant, thought-provoking and inviting so others will engage and share.
Integrate email and social media marketing
Email marketing is no longer a one-way messaging vehicle. Email now offers new options for recipients to share and “tag” newsletters and offers – allowing your message to spread virally with little to no additional investment on your part.
Used together, email and social marketing offer better opportunities for measurement. For instance, you can easily measure the number of people who forwarded your message or posted it to their social networking pages. Or you can determine what percentage of your new email newsletter subscriptions come from Twitter.
Email marketing used in conjunction with social networking is a powerful combination that allows you to not only reach more customers, but also to engage them in more meaningful dialogue. Once connected with you via social networking, your “friends” or “followers” communicate in an interactive way and become engaged.
This engagement can result in faster conversions and higher ROI of your email marketing campaigns. And, because these customers may also be sharing your content with their own “friends” or “followers,” you have the potential to increase Web traffic and Search Engine Marketing results as well.
In Summary
Social media marketing is a low-investment, high-yield way to extend the value of existing content and provide it to a broader group of prospects and customers who meet the characteristics of your target audience. It’s also a great way to grow your opt-in list in a largely organic way.
Find out where your target is: The key to a good social media marketing plan starts like any other marketing plan –
define your target and find out where they are. For social media marketing you’ll need to do a little sleuthing to find out
where you target is “hanging out” online. Once you determine where they spend time, listen to what they are saying
and find out what interests them. One of the greatest benefits of social media is that it allows you to listen and learn from
conversations. Think of it as a big cocktail party filled with your prospects and customers – there are lots of interesting
and relevant conversations happening all around your market, brand, etc. Start by searching keywords and/or topics that your target may search – as they relate to your product or service. Look for blogs as well as other social sites. Then spend some time perusing those sites, to see how your target uses them. For instance, if you’re in the business of selling computer hardware, you might search “computer prices” or “computer prices blog” to find blogs in that particular area. Or, if you know the demographics of your target, you can search social network sites accordingly. If you sell minivans and your demographic.
includes parents with more than two children under the age of 10, you can search for social sites (or “groups” within them)
that cater to that specific audience. Or simply ask your existing customers which social networking sites they frequent via
a survey. If your target is pretty broad (i.e. men aged 20-30), chances are a general interest site such as Facebook will reach
them.
After you have defined your target, you’ll want to get started ina few “starter” programs. Here are some starter programs (and
tips) you might also want to consider:
Start with LinkedIn: If you do business-to-business marketing, you may want to start with LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a widely-utilized professional networking site and it’s a solid starting point for most any business-related social media marketing. Most LinkedIn members are looking for business-specific connections or content, so they will likely be more receptive to your business invitations and Discussions than those on less business-oriented sites. As with any other social medium, your network will grow on its own as long as you consistently circulate content that is meaningful and relevant to your target audience.
a. Set-up a Group account on LinkedIn
b. Then, invite people to join the Group, and post relevant Discussions
Set up an account for your company on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter: Once you have firmly identified your target audience and their characteristics, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter may be a good next step for you in the social marketing world.
a. Start by setting up your own personal (and completely business-focused) account, plus accounts for your internal
thought leaders
b. Then create a Group that will be relevant to your target audience
c. Make sure each of your internal thought leaders joins the Group
d. Post information that will provoke discussion within the Group, staying away from anything completely self-serving until you can build rapport, trust and value around that topic
Keep in mind that in order for these sites to be relevant to your target, you will need to tend each of these properties like you would a garden – with consistent care.
Link across existing programs: You should take every opportunity to post links to your social networking pages on your Website, corporate email signatures, marketing materials, etc. The easier it is for customers and prospects to find you online, the more potential you have to turn them into fans or followers.
Contribute to an existing blog: Develop and post relevant and engaging content/comments on social media sites, such as an
existing blog that invites participation. Create a conversation about a topic of interest to your target. Then ask people to
contribute their opinions and personal experiences. Be careful not to just post a blatant advertisement highlighting the low
rates you can offer first-time home buyers — that is the kind of content that backfires in the social networking world.
Start a blog on your own domain: Start a blog that lives on a portion of your existing Website. Post engaging content
daily and provide a forum for feedback. Link the blog to your social networking pages (and vice versa) to drive more interaction, attract new participants and, ultimately, to establish your company as a trusted advisor and thought leader within your industry or area of specialization.
Set up automatic posts: Use an email marketing solution that allows you to automatically post content from your email
messages to social networks. This allows you to create relevant content one time and deliver it to multiple locations. It’s a
simple, time-efficient way to generate and share content.
Set up a formal customer feedback loop or customer panel: Listening, as we mentioned earlier, is a critical component
of social engagement, be it online or offline. So use social mediums as one way to listen to your customers. For instance,
you may want to establish a formal customer feedback loop and/or initiate a Customer Experience Council that engages with you via a Group on Facebook, or via some other social network. This can be a fast and cost-efficient way to listen to
your key customers.
Get the message right: Though marketing communication channels have changed, one thing has not: a relevant message
is essential. Today, the message is even more important, as it will likely be shared with thousands of people with the click of
a button. Your messages are being distributed and accessed via email, social and mobile channels – whether you know it or
not. So make your messages relevant, thought-provoking and inviting so others will engage and share.
Integrate email and social media marketing Email marketing is no longer a one-way messaging vehicle. Email now offers new options for recipients to share and “tag” newsletters and offers – allowing your message to spread virally with little to no additional investment on your part. Used together, email and social marketing offer better opportunities for measurement. For instance, you can easily measure the number of people who forwarded your message or posted it to their social networking pages. Or you can determine what percentage of your new email newsletter subscriptions come from Twitter.
Email marketing used in conjunction with social networking is a powerful combination that allows you to not only reach
more customers, but also to engage them in more meaningful dialogue. Once connected with you via social networking, your “friends” or “followers” communicate in an interactive way and become engaged. This engagement can result in faster conversions and higher ROI of your email marketing campaigns. And, because these customers may also be sharing your content with their own “friends” or “followers,” you have the potential to increase Web traffic and Search Engine Marketing results as well.
In Summary
Social media marketing is a low-investment, high-yield way to extend the value of existing content and provide it to
a broader group of prospects and customers who meet the characteristics of your target audience. It’s also a great way
to grow your opt-in list in a largely organic way. And that’s just scratching the surface of how social media optimizes the
marketing we’re already doing.
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It is good that marketing is evolving as it is now. People are not longer content with one way ads, they are looking to get more information. And this is a good way to do it.
Yes finding the target market in social media is essential to get targeted traffic.Social media marketing has certainly came to the fore in recent time.Ignoring this type of marketing will be at our own peril.Great post! will be back soon for more updates. http://www.affiliaterevenue-info.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif
.-= Justin´s last blog ..Online Money-Can Mark Deliver His Claims? =-.
I like your blog, just bookmarked it!
Evelina W.
it is a good and fantastic marketing thank you for sharing
Really very informative. I think twitters are giving better response rather than blog writing. Blog writing can be effective for spreading the world but certainly it hardly helps in getting leads.
Always follow your heart.Do whatever you like to do because you will be successful only if you do something with interest and dedication.
Possible. With a brief profile and the Institution you are graduating from, outline the specific skills pertaining to International Business in a relevant context you wish to gain skills in,your forte and some pertinent books you have read.
twitter is one of the most fantastic site that i use every day.
find new people and also a lot of new content
.-= Dexter´s last blog ..Add multiple authors to an article =-.
The social media marketing is the unique identification of the matter of fact.
Thanks for this Very informative social media related article, but I think now social media is main work to increase your site traffic….so i request you to please increase more and more details in future…..thanks…
Hi thank you for this nice guide. Social media is going most popular among the people, there are different marketing strategy we have to own for win in the social media marketing.
.-= work at home jobs´s last blog ..New program at google work at home affiliate network-February 10, 2010 =-.
I think companies are really going to have to figure out what to do with their twitter presence as I feel that it will become more and more important.
Twitter has a real use for media companies and social-media-savvy brands.
But I never imagined twitter to have such drastic growth in short span of time. Twitter is a powerful next-generation instant messaging tool.
Twitter is the hot then other social media networking.A huge amount of people and every feature.I also like facebook and linkedin.Now-a-days social media marketing is most topical thing for their good service