What Is Social Media Marketing

Listen up, businesses of all shapes and sizes! Social media marketing isn't an option anymore, it's a must-have. Want to get your brand out there, build a following, or make more sales? Social media can be your secret weapon.

The key is to connect your social media strategy with your overall goals, and that's where things get interesting (and maybe a little overwhelming). But fear not! This crash course will guide you through the social media marketing landscape, showing you the tactics that work and the hottest trends.

Get ready to master social media marketing – we've got you covered. Buckle up, grab your favorite beverage, and let's dive in! (There will be plenty of helpful resources along the way).

What is Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing is like using popular online apps to connect with more people and grow your business. There are tons of ways to do this, like sharing interesting content and joining conversations. Here's a simple breakdown of how it works:

1. Get Seen (Show): This is like introducing yourself at a party. You create profiles on social media platforms and start posting things regularly to get people to notice your business.
2. Grow Your Audience (Grow): Once people know you're there, it's time to make some friends! You can do this by using hashtags, joining discussions about things related to your business, and even having your employees chat with potential customers online.
3. Keep the Conversation Going (Flow): The best way to stay connected with people is to keep talking! Try new things on social media, find a balance between free and paid advertising (if you want to use it), and track how well your efforts are working so you can keep improving.

By following these steps, social media marketing can help you connect with your audience in a whole new way!

The Importance of Social Media Marketing Today

Imagine there's a giant party with over 3.5 billion people - that's how many folks use social media worldwide! And guess what? Every day, more than a million new people join the party.

Here's the thing: if you want your business to be seen by potential and current customers, you gotta be where they are - and that's social media. Not using social media for marketing is like missing a giant party where everyone you want to meet is hanging out. Your competition might be there making connections, while you're left out.

So, let's talk about the awesome benefits of social media marketing for your business!

Benefits of Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is like having superpowers for your business! Here's how it can help you:

• Get Noticed (Brand Awareness): The more places you hang out online (social media platforms), the more people will discover your awesome business.
• Stand Out from the Crowd (Brand Voice): Social media is your chance to show your unique personality and become a trusted expert in your field.
• Connect with Customers (Engagement): Respond to comments and messages to build relationships and show people you care. This builds trust and loyalty!
• Drive Traffic to Your Website: Share cool content and interesting links to get more people to visit your website.
• Test New Ideas (Experimentation): Use social media to try out new ideas and see what resonates with your audience. The bigger your audience, the more feedback you get!
• Learn More About Your Customers (Reporting & Research): Social media platforms give you insights about the people who follow you, like their jobs and interests. This helps you target the right people with your marketing.
• Make More Sales (Conversions): Social media can be used for both free and paid advertising to drive sales and grow your business.
• Boost Your Search Ranking (Search Visibility): Being active on social media can help your website rank higher in search results!

Social Media Marketing Statistics

Social media is a goldmine for businesses, especially those selling complex products or services (B2B and high-consideration B2C). Here's why:

• People use social media to discover new things to buy - it's their top source of inspiration!
• Young people (Gen Z and Millennials) are especially likely to see ads on social media and be influenced by them.
• Social media advertising is a HUGE industry, and it's growing fast (almost $100 billion spent in 2019!).
• Videos are king! People love sharing videos from brands on social media.
• Social media is a research tool - over half of people use it to learn about products before buying.
• Happy social media experiences with your brand can lead to free advertising! Customers who have positive experiences are more likely to recommend you to others.
• And here's the kicker for B2B companies: a whopping 80% of leads come from LinkedIn!
• LinkedIn is a professional powerhouse, with millions of decision-makers, influencers, and high-level executives all in one place.

Developing a Roadmap for Social Media Marketing Strategy

Ready to crush it on social media? Whether you're a beginner or a pro looking for a refresh, this step-by-step guide will help you build a winning social media marketing plan. Follow these steps and watch your brand take off!

Step 1: Define Your Social Media Marketing Objectives

Hold on! Before diving headfirst into social media, map out your goals! Just like any journey, you need a destination. What do you want to achieve with social media? Generate leads? Build relationships with customers? Boost brand awareness? Attract top talent? Maybe it's all of the above! Once you have a clear vision for your social media goals, you can create a plan to get you there.

Step 2: Determine Your Channel and Tactical Mix

Not all social media platforms are created equal! For businesses selling to other businesses (B2B), LinkedIn is a goldmine. But that doesn't mean you can't use other platforms for B2C either!

Here's the key: Don't just spread yourself thin across every social media channel. Do your research and pick the platforms where your customers actually hang out. Make sure it's a place where you can have meaningful conversations and share content they'll find valuable.

Once you've chosen your platforms, it's time to create a mix of tactics. You'll likely want to use a combination of free (organic) and paid social media marketing. The type of content you create (videos, articles, infographics) will depend on what you're trying to achieve, like building brand awareness or generating leads for your website.

Step 3: Document Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

Don't underestimate the power of a good plan! Here's why you need to write everything down:

• Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: A social media strategy document acts like your team's playbook. It keeps everyone on the same page about goals, channels, tactics, and who's responsible for what.
• Stay Focused, Stay On Track: Having your goals written down helps you stay laser-focused and avoid getting sidetracked.
• Content Calendar to the Rescue! An editorial calendar keeps your content creation organized and ensures a steady stream of awesome content for your audience.

Here's what to include in your social media strategy document:

• Goals, Channels, and Tactics: What are you trying to achieve? Where will you hang out online? How will you reach your audience?
• Who's Who? Assign clear responsibilities for each task.
• Brand Voice and Style: Keep your brand consistent across all platforms with clear guidelines.
• Content Calendar: Plan your content in advance to stay organized and avoid scrambling for ideas.

Step 4: Put Your Social Media Marketing Ideas into Motion

If your brand hasn’t been active on a particular social media platform before, all of your pre-planning and strategizing will necessarily involve a degree of (hopefully educated) guesswork. Only when you start publishing and engaging with people can you start to form conclusions about what’s resonating and driving results. Put your strategy into action and stay agile while remaining committed to your brand’s guidelines and values.

Step 5: Measure, Optimize, Repeat

Don't just set it and forget it! Social media is all about keeping things fresh and exciting. Here's how to stay on top of your game:

• Track Your Results: Numbers don't lie! Use social media analytics to see what's working and what's not.
• Test, Test, Test: Use A/B testing to compare different ad formats and calls to action. See what gets the best clicks and conversions!
• See What Resonates: Look at your content performance to understand what kind of messages and content your audience loves.
• Know Your Audience: Analyze your follower demographics to understand who you're talking to. Tailor your content to their interests!

By keeping a close eye on your social media performance, you can constantly make small adjustments to keep your content flowing and growing. This will help you build stronger relationships with your audience and achieve your social media goals!

Social Media Marketing Trends to Watch

The future of social media is here, and it's mobile! Over 3 billion people use social media on their phones, so make sure your content is short, sweet, and easy to digest. Think bite-sized info or eye-catching visuals.

Speaking of visuals, video is king! People love watching videos on social media, so incorporate them into your strategy. (Bonus points for LinkedIn video ads, they're crushing it!)

Want free marketing magic? Encourage your audience to create content about your brand (with their permission, of course). User-generated content is like a trust signal from real people, and it's awesome!

Last but not least, get your employees involved! When your team shares your content and talks about your brand online, it spreads the word like wildfire. The key? Make it fun and easy for them, not a chore. (Psst... LinkedIn Elevate can help with that!)