Every brand operating online needs a few things to set them apart from the competition. Not only do you need to stand out and attract people to your side of the fence, but you have to be a lot more approachable than your competition. You may be able to accomplish some of this with the right social media marketing approach, and there are some tips below to help you get started.
Your brand has to take on a personality of its own if you want to succeed in the social realm. It doesn’t have to be a profile with a person’s name and a person’s photo, but your brand page should still come across as a person through the materials you post and the way in which you engage with your followers and customer base.
Engagement is what’s going to help you create a long-term following and repeat customers. To that end, you need to make sure that you’re engaging back with your customers when they engage with you. They also have Facebook pages and Twitter feeds and other social sites. Return the favor and become a follower of theirs. This is something that will pay off greatly.
Remember that you won’t have a thorough audience overnight. It’s going to take you some time in order to build up a loyal following. The best thing you can do is to focus on posting high-quality, pertinent material on a regular basis. Give people a reason to interact with you.
The more brand exposure you’re able to create, the bigger your market share is going to be in your particular niche. This means when people search for X in their browsers or through a Facebook feature like Graph, you’re the brand they’re finding. But only if you’re seizing every opportunity to get your brand’s name out in the public eye.
Social media sites change incredibly quickly, especially a site like Facebook. As a matter of fact, a new Timeline update is coming down the pike, currently being tested in New Zealand. This means that everything you’re used to now is going to change. Flexibility is incredibly important in social media marketing.
You should always look to extend an olive branch to other brands and people within your niche who aren’t your direct competition. Building partnerships can help you tap into their customer base, and vice versa. This type of partnership is rewarding for everyone involved.
Even if you’ve built up hundreds of thousands of followers, you still have to remain a humble brand. You never know when some bad review will go viral and eat into your good reputation. Always be prepared to perform good PR, and never get cocky or feel as if you’re unstoppable.
There is a whole lot that goes into proper social media marketing, and what you read above only covers the very tip of the iceberg. The idea here, though, is for you to get a feel for this brand of marketing. Once you’re adept at social media, everything should come naturally.
