How to Market on Social Media Platforms?

A 101 Guide to Market on Social Media

Can you think of any brand that does not have any social media presence? Maybe no, right? Social media is the emerging marketing channel for all businesses. It is an essential tool for the growth of any organisation. It ensures consistent sales from the conception stage. Once you are familiar with your target audience, you can make use of social media as an effective marketing strategy.

Ample information is available online concerning social media marketing, but one needs to be acquainted with the working of social media and which platform may be applicable for your business. Strategies can be framed and altered as per the business requirements. This article will emphasise different aspects of social media and how any start-up or business can market on various social media platforms.

The Social Media Model

Before we get into the details of marketing on social media, the focus must be given to the data segment. Research plays a vital role in designing a framework for marketing. Let us be cognisant of how the social media model operates.

• Define the purpose of using social media.
• Analyse your target.
• Discover and observe the platforms on which your audience spends most of the time.
• Focus on delivering good quality content to attract new customers.
• Measure how social media is benefiting your brand.
• Strategise accordingly.

How to Market on Social Media?

Any business that decides to choose social media as the key marketing strategy needs to be aware of how to promote their products and services using numerous tools and techniques. Here is a checklist of six main points that emphasise the ‘how to?’ aspect of marketing on social media.

1. Design a social media marketing plan

To draft an effective social media strategy, you need to plan first. The budget should be considered before undertaking any social media strategy. The plan should consist of the following elements:

• Knowing your target customers well
• Classification of the target audience
• Framing a mission statement
• Clarifying the goals of the business
• How are you going to measure social media marketing progress?
• The tools for social media management
• Strategies to compete with competitors
• The different forms of content to be created
• Designing advertisements

Once you are ready with your marketing strategy, you should discuss it with your team also. Ideas from everyone should be welcomed. The essence of your brand should be unique and must remain at the centre of every decision. Take the identified steps and actions towards the achievement of an organisation’s goals.

2. Choose the social media network and create profiles

There are a few factors based on which you will decide the platforms that promote your business. These factors include knowing your target customers, category, or the group that your audience belongs to, and finding the platform where they engage actively. Once you select the channel, you create a profile on the required platforms. Use data analytics to monitor how many people visit your profile, what they like or dislike, how many followers you have, the number of likes, comments, shares, reposts, etc. The analysis of all these numbers should be done based on real-time data.

• Make sure to create an aesthetic look for your profile. Explore all the features available on the social media platform and utilise them optimally. Design an attractive brand icon or logo. Make sure that the profile is as appealing as your website and coordinate with each other. All the minute details such as the shape, the colours of the text, the font style, size, etc., need to be paid attention to. Use one hashtag that is unique and related to your brand or the services you offer. The hashtag should be catchy, meaningful, and easy to remember.

3. Engage the audience with your marketing gimmicks

There are various places where you can promote your business or start-up. There is a difference between promoting the brand on social media by posting stories, blogs, videos, etc., and engaging your audience. Your aim should be customer engagement, which ensures relationship building and helps in retaining your customers. You can undertake the following steps-

• Instead of posting continuously on social media, utilise the feature of automating posts.
• Communicate actively with your customers.
• Resolve their issues and complaints as soon as possible.
• Be proactive in promotions, discounts and offers, games, contests, giveaways, etc.
• Make use of your hashtags at the right place and the right time.
• Any form of advertisement or content should create a lasting effect on the mind of the customers.

4. Create and curate quality content

We are apprised of the fact that content is king. The reputation of any business or brand is dependent on the type of content that it delivers to its audience and customers. Hence, it becomes paramount to create and curate distinct content. It should be capable enough to catch the attention of the reader. The headline should be captivating. Content is considered to be one of the factors responsible for the growth in sales and brand image. The content should stand out differently in comparison with others and add value to the customers.

5. Promote your social media accounts

Though you might have a strong presence across major social media platforms, it is advisable to promote these accounts. It acts as a communication tactic to let your customers know where they can access the company or the brand. This direct approach for marketing has full potential to attract new leads and customers. It may increase your followers by doing so. Any business can promote their social media accounts through newsletters, emails, etc. If the need arises, a social media manager must be hired to facilitate different tasks related to social media and manage different aspects linked with social media marketing.

6. Track, evaluate, and revamp

The use of various tools and techniques for managing social media accounts and data can boost the productivity and effectiveness of your pre-decided strategy. Tools for data analytics help in scaling efforts. Align the use of various social media management tools with the mission statement and goals of the business. You should track the data at regular intervals of time. The data should be analysed, and the results should be compared with the actual benchmark set. Make the necessary changes that should be data-driven. Re-evaluate every step. Cut down on any social media channels if the need arises. Thus, keep track of every detail and measure them accordingly.

Conclusion

By considering the above-explained strategies, we can conclude that the benefits of social media are not limited to an increase in sales and revenue of the business. The benefits of using social media for promotion and advertising are beyond that. It acts as a constructive tool for brand awareness and recognition for every business organisation. Ensure customer engagement, add a human touch to your advertisements, and educate yourself on how to market using different social media channels. Strategise accordingly and change your strategies whenever required.

Also read:

1) Social Media Ideas For Business.
2) What is the Risk of Not Using Social Media for Business?
3) What Is Social Media Management? Benefits & more.
4) How to Learn Social Media Marketing? A Complete Guide.

FAQs

Q. What are the different forms of content?

Ans. The different forms of content can be images, videos, posts, blogs, captions, interviews, stories, carousels, news, e-books, etc.

Q. What can be included in the quick checklist for social media?

Ans. The social media checklist should consist of keeping a check on mentions, replying to everyone, monitoring comments, scheduling updates, monitoring for keywords, curating content, following your valuable customers back, and so on.

Q. What are the different places on social media where you can promote your business?

Ans. The different avenues for social media promotion are Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, Email writing, webinars, blogging, LinkedIn, podcasts, etc.

Q. Are there any free tools available for social media management?

Ans. Yes, there are many tools for social media management free of cost. A few of them are Hootsuite, Buffer, Social pilot, etc.

Q. Is there any application where you can manage all social media?

Ans. Yes, many applications are available online to manage all social media.

Q. What type of marketing is influencer marketing?

Ans. Influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing where the influencers endorse our products and service offerings.