Social media channels are interactive platforms on the internet where content is created as well as shared. It is a robust source of news and updates as well as a potent marketing tool for businesses. If you are wondering about the benefits of SMM or social media marketing, then here are some given below.
- Builds brand awareness
- Increases website traffic
- Communicates brand story
- Develops brand reliability and credibility to generate qualified leads
- Builds domain authority
- Collects customer data for market analysis
- Gains competitive edge via competitor research
- Enhances market share
- Increases inbound traffic
If you are new to SMM or are struggling to gain the sweet spot on social channels, then here are some dos and don’ts to consider closely and progress towards your marketing goals.
Dos
- Images are processed at high speed by the human brain, so use compelling imagery.
- Social channels differ, so do the audiences. Therefore, understand what your audience desires to see more. Is it a few paragraphs or quick-hitting trendy or punny captions or are they attracted to emotions? Understand caption length and blend with your goal to attract an audience to come back for more.
- The conversation gets boring if it is one-sided, so ensure to ask questions as well as respond to comments. You also need to engage with other posts and grow your digital footprint. Be social on social channels!
- Social listening has a lot of benefits. Besides, by expanding your reach you can gain recognition as a thought leader and position your brand in front of hot topics relevant to your niche.
- Post quality content regularly because infrequent posting can make you lose audience attention. Overposting is also not helpful as you will be snowed under the audience’s comments and feedback.
- Be patient because social media is an ongoing process. Create and post relevant content consistently and engage with your readers but this is a small part. Your content will either go viral or not. You cannot control this but the one thing you can control is to be patient and remember that the SMM process is long-term.
- Brand management goals for your SMM have to be attainable and realistic.
- The content you write has to reflect your customer’s beliefs and attitudes. Write content for every social channel because what is a success on YouTube can be a flop on Twitter.
Don’ts
- Never go hashtag crazy because it can make your post look juvenile and less sincere.
- Never post content with spelling or grammatical mistakes because it can ruin credibility with readers.
- Don’t just talk on social media because even listening is crucial for engagement.
- Never try to be on every social channel because managing every social media platform can be a waste of time. Choose those where your target audience hangs out.
- Marketing automation is great but no automatic tool will replace human interaction. Nobody will enjoy communicating with robots, so respond to offer a human touch.
- Never ignore messages, comments, and queries from your followers because if you don’t they will move to your competitors.
The dos and don’ts of social media marketing are a lot to digest but use these practices to boost your online visibility efficiently and productively.