Key Social Media Marketing Principles
Social media marketing is evolving fast and companies are struggling to keep up with new tactics and strategies. What worked two years ago is becoming less effective.
The following are some vital elements which you need to keep in mind when marketing in social media.
Go Real Time
Social media marketing is about publishing in real time. This means that you should address issues, inquiries and problems in real time. The days of publishing in advance are quickly disappearing. People nowadays want to get information and answers now.
Educate – Don’t Sell
Social media is about providing information and solutions to people’s problems. This can be done from your blog, information and updates on Facebook or links in your tweets.
Entertain – Don’t Market
The current information age looks for excitement. For instance, Facebook updates and pages which entertain, with humor, surprises and competitions, are likely to be shared
Use Multiple Channels
One channel is never enough nowadays, whether it is niche magazine advertising or email marketing. At the minimum, you should have a blog, and be on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. Social media channels give you the opportunity to be everywhere 24/7.
Give Away Free Information
Free information will be shared. However, this does not mean that you should give away everything, but just enough to spread your content and build trust with your customers. When you eventually publish a book, they will purchase it since they are familiar with you and your content.
Think Multimedia
Text on its own does not work anymore. You should offer information in way that satisfies the needs and expectations of different people. Provide your content using different media. The older generation prefers email and text. Young people love videos. Find out what your audience prefers and offer it to them.
Think Like a Publisher
Consumers are browsing the internet looking for published content which provides solutions and answers. You can use online publications such as podcasts, eBooks, PDFs and video tutorials.
Target Your Niche
Fans and tribes find you, and then share you with their community. Facebook marketing can be targeted at specific demographics including, interests, roles and geography. On Twitter, you should follow people and leaders in your niche. When you tweet, they are likely to retweet you to others who share similar interests.
Show Your Passion
Passion is vital element in social marketing. If you are not motivated and passionate about your niche, people will notice. Passion cannot be manufactured. A passionate publisher will get a following and be shared.
ZK is the co-founder of Web Marketing Blog where accomplished writers and bloggers share their tips, strategies and stories. Follow him on Twitter at @webtrafficroi.
Hi ZK,
Most of your tips about social media marketing are right. I especially like the idea of targeting your niche which to me is the basic aspect for the success of any social media marketing program.
ZK,
These are some great tips when using social media to market either your product, yourself or anything for that matter. You’re 100% re: humorous updates etc. They give people something to talk about as well. Thank you for sharing
One other thing to mention I think, is something to avoid…. Do not attempt to bribe or buy your likes, you will end up with an untargeted set of freeloaders as your followers.
Competitions to buy popularity on social media (give aways or prize draws) dont gain you anything except more untargeted followers.
Hi. Thanks for sharing this interesting tips.
True that we need to have multiple channels to gain more.
Your principles are good and very informative. I am going to apply this in my future project. Experience is really the best teacher.
Thanks for all you comments on my post
@Shivam : it all starts with targeting , I rather have 100 targeted users than 10,000 targeted users. You rather be profitable than have traffic that you can’t monetize
@Lynda: Being humorous is tough I am still learning
@Dave: If you buy followers, you will find that they will start to unsubscribe from your community very rapidly. Best way is to win the trust of your readers.
It’s so important to target the right audience. When I first started with social media, my goal was to have the most followers/friends, the more the better. Quickly I learned that I could triple my income with a fraction of those followers, the only major piece being that they were interested in what I was sharing with them. it makes a world of difference.
So obvious, yet it took me a while to realize it.
I haven’t used social media yet, but plan to go into it. I definitely have the “passion” for my niche, as you mention – and look forward to meet other passionate people who share my interest. Thanks for the tips, Alison
The principles are so true. Social media marketing may not be so easy especially for starters. You need to have the passion and the drive so to establish visibility and connection. Very informative tips ZK, thanks for posting!
These are great key principles for social media marketing. The principle about being on multiple channels is especially true. These days customers expect your business to be accessible anywhere and anytime on the internet, and social media allows businesses to have that constant connection.
I like the idea that social media not only for making new friends around the globe but also educate us.. nice post!