How to Leverage Social Media To Build Your Brand and Business

Social Media is all the rage these days and most business owners know that there is HUGE opportunity in getting seen, and in attracting their ideal prospects. Everyone seems glued to their screens every single minute of every single day. Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, YouTube, TikTok - the list keeps growing. Did you know that worldwide, there are over 1.86 billion monthly active Facebook users? And that's just one social media network.

Ignoring the potential that this new marketing platform presents is perilous. Here are five strategies to leverage the power of social media to build your Brand and Brand Loyalty:

1. Ensure that you have a specific Social Strategy in place. This is different to your advertising and marketing strategy. You need to specifically identify the platforms and audiences as well as the types of campaigns and their objectives. It's important that you treat this channel like all your other channels if you are going to have a successful outcome.
2. Find Your Voice. Who are you? What do you and your business represent? Are you fun? Are you socially conscious? Are you engaging? Your ideal readers will be attracted to the tone of your posts, so it is very important that the tone you set is as authentic as possible. Apple is mysterious, Tesla is engaging, You are _?__. In order for you to stand out and connect, your posts need to be true to who you are and what you and your business represent. Make sure that your voice on social media is the same as in all other communications. Consistency is key.
3. Build a community. Social Media is all about connecting. And community is a big part of this. Yes, you can build a following, but an engaged community is much more powerful. Tesla, with only $6 advertising budget per car, has built a dynasty primarily off the engagement on social media. "Over 25% of all conversations about electric cars on social media are connected to Tesla. Tesla’s social media growth from 2017 to 2018 dwarfed all of its competitors. This is now more important than ever with 95% of vehicle consumers researching through social media". Having a passionate, loyal community can mean the difference between success and failure online. It's not about the size of your business, it's about the size of your community. That is what will fuel future growth.
4. Respond to your followers. Social Media is not a one-way street. This is a platform built for engagement, for connection, for conversation. So have a conversation with your readers. Listen to their thoughts and respond to them. One of the key reasons for Tesla's success is Elon Musk and his brand-building skill in leveraging social media. Not only does he constantly post, but he also personally responds to posts by readers. This is a key component to building a community and one that can definitely not be ignored. Engage with your audience and you will be surprised to see how quickly brand ambassadors will emerge to build your brand on your behalf.
5. Build a supportive system based on customer service. In the end, you are running a business and that business depends on customers. If you do this correctly, a great percentage of your customer base will start developing off social media. Make sure that you are prepared to support that growth. Have trained staff in place to support any questions and/or concerns effectively and efficiently. Ensure that there are policies of engagement established to ensure that your staff's personal views are not seen as that of the company. Make sure that you include your followers in your research and development activities - they are, after all your target market, and as such would be the best source of feedback for new products and services.

If you're interested in discussing your current online marketing strategy and how you can leverage social media effectively and efficiently, please schedule a complementary marketing consultation with our team. We look forward to hearing from you.