Social Media 101: Understanding the Basics
What is social media?
Social media networks are essentially online sites people use to communicate, engage with each other and even voice their complaints. Over the past decade, they have witnessed unprecedented popularity among both consumers and businesses. They are the new 'town square', a gathering place for friends, families, and businesses. Accounts on a variety of sites such as Snapchat have shown significant growth in user engagement in recent times, largely owing to their effective advertising algorithms. On another level, these platforms have introduced a new type of interaction that allows advertisers to reach a broader audience, almost 80% of potential viewers!
Social media, as a term, encapsulates how these platforms are employed. They facilitate publishing diverse media types, including blog posts, videos, and photographs for social interaction. The purpose is to ensure engagement, not just for individuals but with others too, maintaining it as a social exercise and sparking interest and leads for your business. Even better, with the right mix of colors and content, your posts can draw viewers and retain their attention.
People can react to your posts (aka media), share them, and engage in conversations through comments - this is essentially an evolving type of social trial. This not only allows for direct interaction with individuals but also facilitates understanding their individual interests, providing an organic approach to advertising. Users can also opt to follow your profile to stay abreast of the posts that align with their interests. Such user engagement and feedback offer valuable metrics that can drive your social media strategy, a plan that everyone in your team should have an understanding of. The success of this strategy sets the goal that everyone in the industry is striving to achieve. Remember, viewers trust the credibility of profiles they follow.
Those with the most engaged followers tend to enjoy maximum visibility and thus, higher conversions. But achieving this outcome requires a well-planned strategy and fine-tuned execution. Utilizing analytics to comprehend your target audience and adjust your strategy accordingly can make a sea change, heralding good news for your business venture. The insights gained from these analytics can shed light on what clicks with your audience and how best to engage them. You will gain credibility in providing suggestions based on your audience needs.
Despite many businesses reaping enormous benefits from social media, there are entities still on the fence about its utility. One thing to remember is that credibility is a crucial element on social platforms. So, build your brand's credibility by sharing relevant and engaging content - and don't forget to update your bio regularly!They often view it as a time and money sink, or even as a passing trend, influenced by various factors. But in order to refute such misconceptions, this article provides sound insight that will shed light on the true value of social media.
Why should businesses use social media?
Such a perception is far from the reality, as the industry has proven time and time again. The surge in popularity and utilization of social media platforms in millions of households and businesses is the answer to those harboring any doubts.
Over the past 15 years, the world of social media has done nothing but grow and evolve. From the days of Myspace's novelty to the current TikTok craze, we've seen a host of platforms sprout, grow, and revolutionize the social media landscape. This evolution has transformed the area of digital marketing, with each platform catering to specific interests— a testament to the platforms' versatility and appeal to a wide array of users.
The only trend we see besides the ever changing landscape is users switching platforms that better meet their needs. By following certain guidelines and focusing on brand awareness, it's evident that traditional social networks like Facebook and Twitter are still holding strong in the industry's race for consumer attention. Their performance indicators show these channels continue to generate significant traffic, further underscoring their relevance. A helpful tip to remember is to keep an eye on your competitor's social media profiles, as this can provide valuable insights for your organization.
With the wealth of helpful tips and resources available today, it's easy to see why businesses are scrambling to order their social media marketing strategies and enhance their performance. Just to give you some perspective, Facebook has over 2.2 billion users, YouTube has 1.5 billion users, Google+ has 111 million users, and Instagram has 1 billion users. And let's not forget the viral brand awareness surge that TikTok has speedily orchestrated, a true testament to the platform's success. Observing improvement in followers count and engagement on these platforms can guide your own strategy.
Social media channels are not just a preserve for the younger generation. Significantly, adults between 55 and 64 years are 2x more likely to engage with branded content than someone 28 or younger. This demonstrable trend calls for meticulous calendar scheduling, ensuring regular content updates across the various platforms to cater to everyone's interests. By having a proper plan in place, it guaranteed the delivery of a dynamic flow of content to their diverse range of followers. This is vital for any organization aiming to maintain a stronghold or gain an edge over its competitor.
Creating a captivating social media brand awareness campaign necessitates careful planning, meticulous execution, and a thorough analysis of your target market. The potential benefits are immense. With billions of active and engaged users on these social platforms, it’s no wonder why companies spent $8.3 billion on social ads in 2015 which jumped to a robust revenue figure of $153 billion by 2021. By 2026, social media content, like images, polls, family updates, and even personal challenges, is expected to contribute in hitting over $252 billion on ads— a goal that clearly illustrates the industry's anticipated growth.
But does investing in social media work?
Non-customers are 3x more likely to visit a retailer after seeing their engaging social media ad, denoting tremendous potential in driving traffic to your sites or physical locations based on thoughtfully constructed timelines and activity flow.
Next, as part of your marketing strategy, consider how to use social media to grow your online presence. In this digital era, channeling resources into expanding your brand's social media footprint might be the answer to your business' growth needs.
Approaching social media with a traditional mindset, you might wonder whether platforms like Pinterest, Snapchat, or TikTok - each bearing a unique name - are indeed the right venues for your company. But remember the hashtag, a simple yet powerful tool that can enhance your brand's visibility. As you'll uncover through data analysis, businesses across all industries use social media channels as an essential tool to promote their product or service in varying forms or fashions. This article, much like a forum for content creators, is designed to provide deeper insight into this ever-evolving industry. The resources and the sheer amount of possibilities offered by social media apps are indeed limitless, extending a voice to both businesses and individuals alike.
Social media's uniqueness lies in its ability to allow brands to participate actively in the customer experience. Most of today's consumers spend a significant part of their lives online, creating tremendous opportunity for businesses. Encourage your organization to maintain active social media profiles, according to a well-planned schedule, to engage with this captive audience. In this thriving digital landscape, a complex network burgeons, threaded with numerous connections. These connections can prove to be a vital component that businesses can tap into as viable options for client engagement. Social media marketers can steer this direction, creating a potent impression on potential customers.
Harnessing the available resources, you open up pathways into your audience's stories, allowing your brand to become part of their online journey. As you grapple with challenges that crop up, expressing your brand's sentiment through meticulously planned blogs or visually compelling graphics is key. These elements in your content will resonate with content creators and your audience; without them, the audience may ignore your content and information.
The linchpin to success on social media is cementing the trust of your audience. Not just friends and family, but also garnering a broad customer base that advocates for your brand with fervor. This loyalty germinates with an exceptional performance on your social media channels, but the journey doesn't conclude there. Staying attuned, gaining wisdom, and adapting is crucial to keeping your content relevant and engaging. User-generated content, such as customer reviews in the form of photos or video reviews, is a formidable tool in social media marketing. This content not only garners high engagement rate but also drives shares and community mentions, often marked by a genuine tone. Therefore, incorporating such social media posts into your calendar is imperative.
Social media gives you a wide spectrum to play on: engaging directly with your audience through posts and comments; gleaning insights into behavioral patterns through data analytics; and sharing your brand narrative through diverse content forms, including photos and videos. These practices play a pivotal role in directing your marketing strategy and boosting your website traffic.