The Truth No One Ever Tells You About Social Media Marketing

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With how accessible social media is now, everyone thinks they’re a social media expert. While the ease of access might be undeniable, utilising these platforms for marketing purposes is not so simple - at least to the untrained. The most pressing issue is continuing to stay on top of updates, trends and changes. Social media is an ever-changing marketing channel and that’s why it’s perfect for affiliate marketing.?

Just like social media, affiliate marketing is always changing, updating and spearheading toward the future. However, some basic principles of marketing on social media have remained unchanged and must be adhered to for affiliate marketing success.

Social media marketing is NOT free

Back in the early days, businesses could implement marketing campaigns at little to no cost, and while the apps themselves might still be free, this is no longer the case. Social media companies have wised up to the potential they offer marketers and have made reach and impact more difficult if businesses are not willing to pay to promote their posts.

There’s still plenty you can achieve on social media without breaking the budget, but to really hone the benefits, you often need to explore the paid features available. Aside from the financial implications, social media marketing requires devoted time and resources. You must be prepared to spend a significant amount of time researching and testing - another cost often overlooked.

You DON’T need to be on every platform

Maximising your reach is a good thing, but spreading yourself thin isn't. In theory, it might seem like a good idea to be on every platform but when you really think about it, it doesn’t make sense. How can you create a dedicated and well-researched marketing campaign when you’re juggling so many different metrics and requirements? There’s also the chance that you’re wasting time on platforms that your audience doesn’t even use.

Marketing efforts need to be focused on the platforms most populated by your target demographic. Maybe this will mean you only use two platforms but you will be able to master those platforms and maximise your marketing campaigns.

Authentic content BEATS perfection

These days, there is huge pressure to appear “perfect” on social media. Therefore, it’s become a common misconception that all marketing content must always be of high quality and professionally produced. This belief often leads to overspending on content creation and producing polished content that doesn’t resonate with your audience. There is a time and place for professional content, just as there is a time and place for more authentic content.

Low-budget content can work just as well as professionally produced content, as long as it is accessible to its target audience. Over-produced content can seem superficial and therefore make audiences (especially younger audiences) less likely to interact with it. The important thing to remember is that social media is supposed to be interactive, so content that only ever broadcasts struggles to succeed.?

ELEVATE your social media marketing efforts

From September 16th to 17th, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from experts and industry peers exactly what it takes to create a successful social media marketing campaign (amongst other topics). ELEVATE is bringing the latest affiliate, performance and partner marketing insights to London for this two-day event.?

Register for your place at the 2024 ELEVATE Summit now!

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