If you’re not maximizing your free opportunities to grow your brand on social media, you’re missing out! You don’t need to drop a lot of money on social media ads to move closer towards your goals. There are many ways to increase your online influence and generate revenue on a regular basis with the right tactics.
Social media marketing continues to be one of the best ways to gain exposure. You can quickly provide your target audience with opportunities to engage with your brand all with the push of a button. There's no need to stress if you don’t know what social media marketing is since that’s a topic we’ll cover next.
What is social media marketing?
Social media marketing is the use of online platforms like Facebook and Instagram to grow your brand presence and generate revenue. With an active social media strategy in place, a business gives itself more opportunities to engage with current customers and get in front of new customers. Brands are able to share the products/services they offer as well as their brand culture and purpose.
One of the reasons why more and more businesses are utilizing social media marketing is due to how much time consumers spend on social media. People are turning to social media for everything from entertainment to researching new brands. Depending on the age group someone is in, he/she may spend anywhere from 38 minutes to 3 hours a day on social media. Social media marketing is more accessible to businesses when compared to more traditional advertising outlets such as TV, radio, and newspaper.
5 free social media marketing tips
Now that you have a better understanding of what social media marketing is, here are several tips to help you achieve your marketing goals:
Post consistently: It’s tough to know which types of content connect with your target audience the best when you don’t have a regular posting schedule. Sharing posts on a consistent basis gives you the chance to gather quality data that will help you see trends and what’s working. Sporadic posting makes it difficult to see real results.
Reply to both negative and positive reviews: People want to see how you handle both the good and the bad feedback you receive. Not everyone leaves reviews so when you receive a review, it’s important that you respond in less than 24 hours. You need to show that you care about your customers and clients. You need to demonstrate your ability to listen and meet the needs of your target audience.
Remember that 90% of of consumers say that positive reviews affect their buying decision. Most B2B decision-makers are more likely to purchase after reading trusted reviews. At the end of the day, people care about what their peers have to say so ask for reviews and quickly respond when you receive them!
Update your bio/profile: When was the last time you updated your About section on Facebook? Do you have your website in your Instagram bio? It’s important that you fill out these sections on social media. It helps people know what you’re all about and how to learn more about your brand. Approximately 10% of all brands we audit haven’t completed or have outdated info in their social bios. Don’t be that brand and take a few minutes to make sure everything is up to date.
Reply to comments and direct messages: Anytime a consumer reaches out to you via comments and direct messages, it’s important that you respond quickly. You can avoid negative reviews from your clients and customers when you answer questions you receive. People are counting on you to have the answers to help them solve their problems so focus on being a reliable resource for them.
Engage with other brands when possible: An effective way to expand your reach is to collaborate with other brands who compliment what you’re doing. This can be as simple as sharing Instagram Stories/posts from a brand you’re working with to running a joint giveaway. Team up with businesses who don’t provide the same products/services as you but have the same target audience as you. This will help you quickly gain trust with potential customers who haven’t heard about you in an organic way.
Start implementing the social media marketing tips you learned!
Now that you have 5 free social media marketing tips to grow your brand, get to work! All of the tips above will help you gain consistent results and help you move closer to your goals. It’s always important that you focus on being consistent and being social. People want to be heard and listened to whether it’s on Twitter or on Twitch. Do your best to keep showing up. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to tell your story and communicate the value that your brand provides.
Would you like a free social media audit? If so, complete the form down below! We’ll review all of your social media accounts and help you understand what you’re doing well and where you can improve.