YES! End of blog. I’m just kidding. Of course there’s quite bit more involved than just “yes” when answering if social media marketing really is necessary. Business marketing strategy is multi faceted. When you’re marketing, you have to consider everywhere your audience may be so you can reach them. After all, if no one knows you’re in business, how will you get any customers or clients?
According to Hootsuite.com, 45% of the world’s total population are using social networks. That article is dated March 2019 so that number has increased. Social media is a part of our everyday lives whether most people realize it or not. Regular, every day posts gain you organic viewers. Anyone can go to your page and see those posts. You can also “boost” those posts on several platforms so they will be shown to more people. Paid ads are ads you create, and you pay to have those ads shown to a target audience.
Paid ads are common across social media platforms, and businesses are learning how to target specific audiences. When someone is scrolling their newsfeed, they may not even realize they’re viewing an ad. The same article on Hootsuite reports that a typical American Facebook user clicks on EIGHT Facebook ads per month. That’s just one social media platform in one country. Just imagine the clicks across several platforms worldwide!
Every day interaction on social media bring in organic views which also bring in leads and helps increase your reach. I mix paid ads with consistent posting everyday for my clients.
Why put your business on more than one social media platform?
Social media marketing is a great way to connect with your customers. There are several social media platforms, and you definitely want to be active as your business on social media platforms where your target audience hangs out. For example, in my opinion, Snapchat is for younger users. You wouldn’t want to target some orthopedic shoes meant for seniors across Snapchat because chances are, the seniors needing orthopedic shows aren’t snapchatting. You want to get a feel for the majority audience of a platform.
LinkedIn is a social media platform for professionals. If you sell a service that will benefit business owners, LinkedIn would be a social media platform you’d definitely want to stay active on. I’m on LinkedIn as a virtual assistant, and it has put me in contact with potential clients.
Do your research on the social media platforms to decide which you want to really focus on. Personally, I use Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram. My clients all use the same platforms now that I think about it. If I worked for someone marketing to a younger audience, I would have them on Snapchat or TikTok.
Does a business still have to post on their page consistently if they run paid ads?
Posting consistently allows businesses to increase awareness of their brand and increases their organic reach. Paid ads will reach your target audience, but Facebook will only show so many people your ad per day depending on your budget. While paid ads are great for reaching MORE people, every day posts are important as well.
I manage several client social media accounts, and I create content to post on a daily basis. I have a social media content calendar for each client. Regular posting on social media not only introduces your brand to more people, but it shows people that you aren’t going to disappear, you’re established, you can be trusted, and you know what you’re talking about. You become an authority. People will watch your posts, conversations and eventually approach you when they are ready.
Regular posting also encourages engagement with potential customers or clients. I like to ask questions, at least once a week, when I post so I can open the door for people to engage. Then I respond, and we start conversations. I love interacting with audiences across social media, and I have been told by several people that they have made purchases or have chosen my clients to do business with because they enjoy talking to me. I often use a fake name on social media so people don’t actually know it’s me. As a virtual assistant, I learn all I can about my client’s products or services they offer, and I learn to speak in their voice when I’m on social media.
A business on social media should have a mix of paid ads, boosted posts and consistent every-day activity.
How will a business know if they need a social media manager?
If you commit to social media marketing, remember it is just that…a commitment. People like to move fast so if you’re going to have people engaging on your posts or sending you messages, you want to make sure to answer fairly quickly. I try to respond to messages within 2 hours unless it’s the middle of the night.
You also want to post something every day, and it’s even ok to share relevant content with your audience from other sources. Using a social media scheduler like Hootsuite or Buffer helps. I won’t give away all of my secrets, but if you or someone in your business doesn’t have the time to dedicate to creating posts, scheduling them and monitoring your company’s paid ad campaigns, then you definitely need to hire a social media manager.
You will want to find someone who is organized, who knows how to create memes and other graphics, is personable and who understands your business. If they do create paid ads for you, you want someone who is able to create relevant ads for your business. You DO NOT want to be boring. Boring doesn’t capture people’s interest so make sure it’s someone with personality.
If you’ve stumbled on this blog post because you’re trying to determine if it’s time to take your business to social media and hire a social media manager, send me a message. I’d love to talk with you to determine if we’re a good fit for one another.
