Regardless of what you are selling, it is important to make a plan and understand the strategies that can be used to achieve success. This article will give you a brief overview of the basics of social media and online marketing for small businesses.
The strategy is broken down into these 5 main components.
#1- Get Noticed!
A successful business starts with some kind of product or service that will set you apart from everyone else. You want to be unique and provide something that people will love. So how do you get started?
The first thing to consider is making sure your business is listed online. This can be done by registering a business name, creating business profiles on all the major social media platforms and having a website that will direct customers to you when they need or want your products.
#2- Engaging Customers!
Once customers start visiting and using your service, it’s crucial that you keep them engaged and coming back. To do this, you want to provide friendly service and products that will be popular with your customers and enhance your online presence.
You can also build relationships by using social media to connect with them and create a loyal following. It’s also important to be transparent, honest and present in all your online channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, etc.
#3- Generate Traffic!
Now that you have an online presence and your audience, it’s time to start driving traffic to your website and other online channels where people can find you. There are many different marketing strategies that can be used.
The first is search engine optimization (SEO). This is the practice of optimizing keywords and content on your website to make sure it ranks as high as possible in search engines like Google so you can be found for relevant keywords.
One of the best ways to support SEO is by creating valuable, engaging, informative content that will interest people who are likely to need or want your products or services.
Another powerful way to generate traffic is through social media marketing. This is used to build awareness, promote special offers and create a buzz around your business.
You can also use email marketing to get customers coming back to you for more.
#4- Convert Traffic into Customers!
Now that you have an online presence and created the traffic, it’s important that you turn this into sales. The only way to do this is by converting traffic into customers. To do this, you can use different techniques.
The first is with search engine marketing through Google Adwords or other platforms. You simply bid on keywords that are relevant to your business so when people search for these terms, your ad will show up at the top of their searches.
The other way is through pay-per-click advertising on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This is done by creating ads that link to your site where people can find information about what you are selling.
#5- Build Relationships!
Unless you have unlimited resources, it’s important to make the most out of every customer you have. This is done by converting customers into brand advocates who will talk about your business with their friends and family.
To do this, you need to keep customers happy by delivering quality products or services on time. It’s also important to provide excellent customer service no matter the situation. Customers are more likely to come back if they are treated respectfully and receive good service. This does wonders for your online presence.
There are many different techniques that can be used to advertise your business, but it’s important that you consider the return on investment (ROI) of each one. The cost and benefits of each form of advertising need to be assessed so you can invest in those with the best results rather than just backing every possible option.
Social media is a great way to get word out there about what you are selling. However, it needs to be used the right way if you want to generate sales and not just cost you money (in terms of time and resources). First, make sure your profiles on all the different platforms match with each other and your website.
This will make it easier for customers to discover you. Next, be present by engaging with your audience regularly. You can do this through liking or commenting on posts they make and sharing relevant content that is likely to interest them.
This will help build trust between you and give you opportunities to offer sales or promotions (if applicable). See our list of services here or book a call to see how we might help you.
