3 Stages of Social Media for Success

Awareness - 6 to 8 months 

Social media has proven to be one of the most powerful channels to generate awareness. On average of 4 Billion, people spend 3 hrs. Daily on social media platforms sharing their thoughts and opinions and talking to others.

This is the time to create a strong first impression and establish yourself as an authority in your segment or industry. Your actions at this stage determine the quantity and quality of leads. The strategy at this stage is to introduce your brand to the customer by posting content, which grabs your audience's attention. The great thing about including social in your marketing arsenal is that it can help you reach a much wider audience without a large marketing budget.

• Know your Target audience- Invest some time figuring out what kind of customers are likely to be interested in your products; their age, education interests, and online behaviour.
• Determine which social media platforms would be suitable for your business- Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, or Pinterest.
• Figure out the best time and frequency to post.
• Have a content plan- Inform, answer questions, and solve problems. All your posts should not be promotional
• Explore different kind of content forms for your promotions- images, videos, live stories, video types, informative graphic, tips and tricks, quotes etc.
• Advertise on all relevant social networks.
• The frequency of your posts and ads is relevant; top of sight remains top of mind.
• Tying up with prominent influencers and micro-influencers in your industry is a great way to create a buzz around your brand’s products and services.

Engagement - 5 to 6 months 

The customer is now aware that you exist as a choice among all the other brands offering similar products or services. It is time to nurture and even validate leads. Engaged customers are more likely to remember your brand and buy from it.

• You can use the metrics collected in the previous stage to build your social media messages at this stage. Determine the nature of posts that generated maximum interest and create content that engages your customers and differentiates your product while answering why they should buy from you.
• Invest some time in replying to reviews, comments, and brand mentions
• You could also host contests or giveaways and organize events, including live Q&A’s, webinars, competitions, or live events.
• Use data collected at this stage to create targeted offers for people who have regularly engaged with your posts and send them via direct messaging available on most social media platforms.

Installing the Facebook Pixel on your website will allow you to track users' behaviour on your website and show targeted message to the visitors that visit your website or took a specific action on any page.

• On Facebook and Instagram, you can create a custom audience that includes everyone who ever liked or commented on your updates so you can market to them again.

Acquisition stage - the mission 

This is the most crucial stage of the marketing funnel. As a marketer, it falls on you to nudge your prospective customers to take action finally. This can take the form of signing up for a newsletter or free trial, downloading a brochure or making a purchase.

• Facebook and Instagram ads with limited time offer or coupons.
• Facebook re-marketing ads with offers.
• Facebook Messenger ads.
• Instagram direct message
• Cross-sell and up-sell to already existing customers with relevant offers
• Integrate your ordering platform into social media channels.

Encourage social buying by having a “friends & family” discount.