The Future Of YOUR Social Media Marketing?

What is the future of social media marketing?

The games of the rule might change, the players might change, but the game is here to stay.

Related Article: Social Media Marketing To Younger Generations?

Isn’t social media a recent buzzword?

Or is the social media era waning off?

Technically the buzzword social media or social media marketing is the most hyped ‘in’ thing. A career in this field is yet the most sought after one. Even today a new brand or product needs extensive social media marketing to show its existence to maximum potential consumers. But hold on! Is the fad of social media plummeting? Do you feel the world of social media is a thing of past?

If you reach a conclusion now, it will be invalid as the future is highly unpredictable. With the volatility in the market structure and the ease of promoting content, social media apps- Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Ello, Instagram are the rage among youngsters and entrepreneurs alike. Rajat Bhatia, the founder of Geekay Bikes, quotes, “When I had to launch the new E-Bikes, all that was needed was the right social media channel to create awareness among the youth and bike-enthusiasts. Instagram and Facebook publicity along with the services of a social media marketer helped in building a good market for the bikes in its first year.”

Related Article: Marketing Strategies To Transcend YOUR Industry?

Yes, entrepreneurs do swear by the name of social media. Even for the youth of today, who clamors for instant publicity and fame, social media is an integral part of their life.

From the morning gym to what they eat and whom they meet, all is judiciously posted to stay swanky and reaching out to the social network. Khushi Dawar, MD of Bright India Corp. Pvt. Ltd. says, “I have been learning video making and editing to establish my own Youtube Channel. It would be a boost to my product as well as a boost to my own creativity.” Who wouldn’t want those 10 minutes of fame, when it is so easily possible with social media!

“Social media has become a steady source of income for millions of bloggers and marketers and a blessing in particular for those who wish to opt for work from home. With the new revenue streams social media is here to stay,” adds Ashish Gupta, CEO of Reva Enterprises.

Related Article: Promote YOUR Brand With Social Media Videos?

The Flip-Side Of The Coin

Another school of thought says the era of social media is gradually retrograding. With stringent privacy policies and laws regarding safety, the craze and ease of accessing social media are dwindling. “Whenever I surf on Google, what irks me the most is the influx of unwanted advertisements flashing in the forefront. With the technology getting smarter, the ads of my recent surfing start popping up, which gives me a feeling of being spied on,” says Ankur Gupta, CEO of Shori Chemicals.

Millennials and Gen-X are gradually deleting their Facebook and SnapChat accounts to stay grounded and focus on work. Dhruv Trehan, MD at Shree Ram Wood Industries says, “I was too overwhelmed with whatever was posted by my peers. It was intriguing as well as time-consuming to keep a track of latest updates. I felt like I was being pushed into a rat race. So deleting my FB account saves a lot of constructive time to focus on my work.”

Related Article: YOUR Marketing In The Age Of Social Media?

Moreover, with pro-privacy policies, the social media is restricting the incessant promotions.

Clients who do not wish to receive random advertisements and un-requisite e-mails are being paid a heed to and the norms of promotions are getting stricter. WhatsApp, restricting the forwards to maximum five people, is a step in this direction. You can easily streamline the notification settings of your phone and e-mail to prohibit mails gatecrashing through.

The games of the rule might change, the players might change, but the game is here to stay. Social media is the buzzword and is a table-turning game of future. You need a channel to showcase your work to customers, you need a channel to create demand and you definitely need a channel to prove your mettle. This media will serve it all on a single platter.

Guest Authored By Sania Gupta. Sania is Founder and CEO of Digital Kangaroos, an author, entrepreneur, marketer and blogger. And as a career coach at My Study Destination, she has helped thousands of students realize their dreams. Follow Sania on Twitter.

Related Article: Keeping YOUR Social Media Fresh?

"The games of the rule might change, the players might change, but the game is here to stay. Social media is the buzzword and is a table-turning game of future.

You need a channel to showcase your work to customers, you need a channel to create demand and you definitely need a channel to prove your mettle. This media will serve it all on a single platter.." -SaniaGupta

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  Post Crafted By:

  Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at GetMoreHere.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Salt Lake City, UT. where I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)

Social Media Tips For EVERY Platform

Top Social Media Tips for Every Platform Part 1: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram..

You may have missed it, but June 30th was Social Media Day, a day set aside to “recognize and celebrate social media’s impact on global communication.”

Related Article: Social Media Marketing Steps To Success?

In reality, every day should be social media day for your business, as it provides an essential way to gain leads, attract customers and grow sales. The secret is operating on a foundation that includes three important components: a solid strategy, valuable content and most importantly the know-how. Without these, it is easy to waste a lot of time and effort.

Meliss Jakubovic, owner of Meliss Marketing, in Atlanta, GA and founder of the free Facebook Group Magnetic Marketing Mastermind, is a Facebook Ad Expert and Marketing Strategist. She helps entrepreneurs worldwide scale using the power of Social Media and shared her top tips for every platform. As a small business owner, you can use her top social media tips to build awareness, increase customers and grow sales.

Related Article: Making Social Media Work For YOUR Company?

Facebook

“Every business in every industry needs to be on Facebook,” Jakubovic says. It’s the largest online social platform with over 1 billion users, and it can give you access to potential customers you couldn’t otherwise reach. When used correctly, Facebook marketing outshines any traditional advertising. Here’s how to do it right:

--Start marketing with video. “Right now, video is hands down dominating social media across the board,” Jakubovic notes. Statistics show that video marketing boosts engagement and increases conversions, which both lead to more sales.

--Promote with paid advertising. “If you’re serious about growing your business, you should have a budget for marketing and Facebook is the first place you should invest it,” Jakubovic “Because Facebook ads offers easy access with the ability to target specific audiences, they provide the highest return on your investment (ROI).”

--Use eye-catching visuals. “Thanks to our brains, humans naturally process images at incredible speeds. Meanwhile, statistics tell us that attention span on social media is about 8 seconds, which makes visuals the best way to communicate and trigger emotion all in a single glance,” Jakubovic notes.

Related Article: YOUR Social Media Post Timing?

--Align yourself with industry influencers. When you partner with influencers in your industry, you gain access to a large network of people with common interests. This offers a unique opportunity to reach potential clients. “The easiest and most cost-effective way to connect with influencers is to offer them an opportunity to try your product and give feedback. If you can get just one influencer to share positive feedback or open up discussion about your product or service, you can have an immediate impact on your visibility and reputation,” says Jakubovic.

--Start using Chatbots within Facebook Messenger. Chatbots are fairly new and predicted to increase in popularity. “In fact, I bet you’ll start to hear and see more about Chatbots in social media strategy in the months ahead. Those already using Chatbots are seeing open rates increase 75-85%. Chatbots provide a sense of immediacy, offer the personal connection consumers crave, and because of tags make sure no opportunity is lost,” Jakubovic adds.

Related Article: Top CEO Social Media Strategy?

Twitter

Some say that “Twitter is dead,”but Jakubovic says this couldn’t be further from the truth. “The reality is businesses can easily engage and connect with their customers and vendors, while gaining valuable information about their competitors without spending any money. That’s right: tweets are still free.” She notes.

You may not know it but Google indexes every tweet (which makes it a great tool for search engine optimization or SEO).

Related Article: What Other Peoples Advertising Can Teach YOU?

Most importantly, you can’t ignore that 60% of a business’s or brand's followers are likely to purchase or recommend after following them on Twitter. Here are five ways to improve your performance on the platform:

--Limit how often you share links. Research has shown that tweets without links perform better and get more engagement. “When you limit the links you share, you bring more weight and value to the ones you occasionally include,” Jakubovic advises.

--Choose the right Hashtags. “I highly recommend you build a library of Hashtags for your business, and make sure you include both industry tags and tags that appeal to your specific audience. However, don’t overkill.” Jakubovic recommends. Studies show that tweets with two Hashtags perform the best on Twitter.

Related Article: Maximum Engagement Social Media Strategy?

--Tag relevant and industry-related profiles. Tagging should be an important part of any Twitter strategy, but it needs to make sense. “Only tag relevant profiles and make sure you’re using the appropriate format for Tweets. Unless you’re replying to a post, it’s typically best to include their mention in the body of the tweet,” she suggests.

--Acknowledge every one that mentions you. “When you receive a mention or acknowledgement on Twitter (or any platform), it’s the perfect opportunity to spread awareness. Strengthen your presence by favoriting the tweet, replying or offering up a shout out,” Jakubovic says.

--Implement Twitter cards for lead generation. Twitter cards provide an easy way to get people to subscribe to your list, and a growing list offers opportunity for potential clients. “Gaining new leads is always the central goal, so channel your efforts on social media toward building your list and/or following,” she adds.

Related Article: Crucial Social Media Strategy For YOUR Brand?

Instagram

Before you decide if Instagram should be part of your social strategy, you need to hear the statistics: 33% of internet users are on Instagram, 60% of Instagram users login daily, approximately 80 million users reside in the United States, and engagement on Instagram is 10x higher than Facebook and 84x higher than Twitter.

What does it all mean? “Instagram has a more engaged audience than any other social media platform. It’s eliminated the frills and features, and works because it solely shares strong visuals via photos and video. The platform also has less competition when compared to other social media giants, which makes now a great time to dive in and deliver your content,” Jakubovic notes.

Related Article: Should YOUR Business Advertise On Instagram?

Here’s how to put your best foot forward:

--Convert to a business account. When you convert to a business account, you get access to features not available on personal accounts (it also keeps you out of hot water since all businesses should be using business accounts according to their terms of service).

“Instagram for business offers a unique profile layout with the addition of a contact button. It gives you access to analytics, so you can monitor and improve results. And it provides access to Instagram Ads, so you can target a custom audience and get preference in the newsfeed,” adds Jakubovic.

Related Article: Why Social Media Influencers Prefer Instagram?

--Use a Hashtag strategy. Hashtags will get you noticed, increase engagement and build your following. “A good Hashtag strategy includes Hashtags that are brand specific, industry relevant and trending. You can find a variety of tools online to help with Hashtag research and identification,” says Jakubovic.

--Focus on the customer. “Sharing your followers’ photos on your site is one of the best strategies for growth,” Jakubovic notes. “You’ll want to ask permission first and give proper credit to the source, but it’s a great way to acknowledge and connect directly with potential customers. In fact, Starbucks uses this strategy regularly and is among the top 200 brands on Instagram.” As part of a customer-focused strategy, make sure you like and comment on your followers’ photos and respond to their comments on your own posts. “If you want Instagram to support your business, you cannot simply post and run. You must continually interact and actively engage with your fans and followers,” she adds.

Related Article: YOUR Efficient 2018 Influencer Marketing?

--Creativity wins. “Only the best quality images and videos will do,” warns Jakubovic. “Be creative, be consistent, be authentic and be unique. Don’t limit yourself to just photos. You should also use video and stories to give your customers a look behind the scenes. If you let them get to know more about you, they will feel more comfortable buying from you.”

--Host a giveaway or contest. When done correctly, contests and giveaways net big results on Instagram. “It’s a great way to build your following, showcase product and interact with others. Here are a few tips to make a contest work for you: offer something valuable that others want (don’t go cheap), make sure you have a strong following first and simplify the process for entering the contest,” Jakubovic suggests.

Guest Authored By Kate Harrison. Kate is a startup branding and marketing expert with a passion for helping non-profits and eco-friendly businesses succeed. She has a Master's in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and a JD in Environmental Law from Pace. She wrote a best-selling book, built and sold the leading green wedding marketplace and now help entrepreneurs follow their dreams. Follow Kate on Twitter.

Related Article: Conquer Social Media With Instagram?

"By following Jakubovic's tips you can make 2018 your best social media year yet.

In Part 2, she covers YouTube, LinkedIn, SnapChat and Pinterest. Stay tuned..."

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  Post Crafted By:

  Fred Hansen Br@nd Alchemist at GetMoreHere.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)

Social Media Changes And YOUR Small Business?

How changes in social media affect local business..

New and old Birmingham businesses are taking different approaches to the finicky social media space. Marco Morosini, who's owned Silvertron Cafe for over a decade, uses social media frequently and appreciates the ease and expansiveness of the platform versus traditional advertising.

Related Article: Social Media Marketing Steps To Success?

"I had no way to figure out exactly how many customers saw my (print) ad," Morosini said about advertising before the digital age."

"That was the tricky part. So you had to hope that you, Mr. X, came into the restaurant because you saw the advertisement."

His biggest goal is to keep Silvertron Cafe's name out there without a lot of pressure or a hefty budget.

The seconds of attention a print ad gets by flipping through a magazine doesn't compare to the thousands of customers he exposes his brand to on social media. He uses Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for "instantaneous" social media advertising of food, drinks and events.

Related Article: Making Social Media Work For YOUR Company?

Morosini isn't concerned with how social media algorithm changes affect his results.

He does only a bit of advanced planning and doesn't need to attain a certain following. His social media presence has grown naturally as a result of consistent posting of photos and status updates either by him or his wife Elan.

Related Article: Marketing Strategies To Transcend YOUR Industry?

Amber Tolbert, co-owner of East 59 Vintage & Cafe, said there was a lot of advanced social media marketing plans before opening their business in 2015.

She said social media is the "lifeblood" of East 59, which has two locations and sells merchandise as well as food..

Related Article: Data Mapping Social Media Influencers?

Often when social media platforms like Facebook announce changes to their algorithm, businesses respond by increasing their paid advertising and cutting back on free posts on their pages.

When an employee informed Tolbert a new goal of Facebook was showing less paid advertising to their potential customers, "we went the other direction."

She said because of how they tailored their posts and changed direction, they haven't seen changes in reach. They create monthly social media marketing plans using a physical calendar and have multiple people share posts.

"That's how we roll," she said. When fun things pop up in the community, they make adjustments and are more spontaneous. This aligned with the owners' goal when they first opened "to connect more people to the community."

Guest Authored By Williesha Morris. Williesha is a freelance contributor for WBRC.com. Follow Williesha on Twitter.

Related Article: YOUR Social Media Advertising, Explained?

"We didn't want to pay more to reach more people," Tolbert said.

They scaled back their Facebook ads and re-launched their Twitter earlier this year in an effort to increase their reach.." -WillieshaMorris

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  Post Crafted By:

  Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at GetMoreHere.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)