Social Media Marketing Success Ground Rules

Most businesses, regardless of size, use social media as part of their marketing strategy.  However very few use it well and many don’t get the results they want.  These ground rules for success can ensure that the time and resources you are spending on social media are driving the bottom line for your business.

Social media marketing levels the playing field between large and small businesses.  It requires you to invest time in your marketing and advertising rather than competing with others by spending large amounts on traditional forms of advertising.  But it still takes a well thought out plan, a solid strategy and strategic use of resources.  The cost of a well-managed social media marketing strategy is far less than other forms of advertising if you follow these rules:

Know Where To Be On Social Media!

Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google +, Pinterest…  you can spend a lot of time trying to learn about, keep up with and manage all of the different social media streams without getting results from any of them.  Instead, focus on the key ones and manage them well until you are getting results and then grow from there.  Each business is unique, but experts recommend focusing on Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube as the pillars of your program.

LinkedIn is a key tool for relationship building for small business and also establishes you as the expert and thought leader in your field.  Video is extremely hot right now and a well-executed YouTube channel can build solid content that will be relevant for a much longer time than most social media posts.  Facebook is key for presence but is becoming a stream where you need to invest money as well as time to get results.

Build an integrated strategy around these three platforms and work at it until you are getting solid returns from your efforts.

Have A Social Media Marketing Plan!

Most small businesses throw content and posts out on social media in hopes that lots of activity will get them noticed.  It won’t.  You need to have a plan and know how to work it.  Writing out a plan outlining which media you will use, what you want to accomplish with each one, what content you will create and post, how you will measure results and who will do the work will lead to a successful social media marketing campaign.

Be A Thought Leader In Social Media!

Tweets and posts that don’t highlight original thought on your part are part of a strategy to build awareness, however they won’t generate solid results over time.  In order to gain followers and build solid relationships that lead to new business, you need to position yourself and your company as an expert and thought leader.  Well-crafted original content, whether it be blog posts or video, engages followers and leads to an expanded circle of influence.  This content also has a lifespan much longer than most posts.  If you can have new contacts and existing clients coming back to your website or YouTube channel regularly to view your content you will build trust and sales.

Measure, Measure, Measure!

Very few small businesses measure the ROI from their social media activity.  Why are you investing all this time and effort if you aren’t seeing results, or don’t know how to tell if you are being successful.  Set targets for engagement and measure them regularly.  There are a wide variety of analytics available to track your results.  Use them and adjust your activities accordingly.

A Strategy For Social Media Success!

These key tips – developing and following a social media plan, focusing on the streams that work for you, developing great content and measuring success – can lead to a social media marketing strategy that will pay off in new leads, increased sales and greater awareness.