In today’s whirlwind of Social Media, there are endless opportunities available for investing. You can put money into Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube. But it is important to know how to market on social media.
In addition to all that, we have some Search Engine Optimization tools (SEO), Google Ad Words and more. Plus, don’t forget about the options you have for putting ads on your own website linking to products you’re created, ads within your podcast and video ads you could create in your own YouTube videos.
So, where is the best place for your business to advertise? Where are you most likely to get the biggest bang for your buck?
Well the answer is, as it so often seems to be….
It Depends!
There is no “one size fits” all answer. There is no place where it is right for everyone. What would work well for a restaurant business would not necessarily work well to promote a medical place, an author or professional speaker. What works at one time of year might not work as well in other times of the year.
Yet, in the midst of each being separate, here are some guidelines and ideas which can help you as you sort through the ever-changing social media options.
Where does your audience hang out? Think about where people in your market work and live. What are their interests? What other likely groups would attract them? You can be there on LinkedIn and Facebook through groups. As you become known in those groups as a person who contributes value, others will want to be with you.
Twitter is a valuable tool for real-time events. Now your business can engage with Twitter users through promoted tweets, trends or accounts. You can promote specific twitter messages (tweets) so that it reaches people who are interested in that topic.
For instance a dentist might have a tweet about getting a free initial check-up to build interest in her practice. Put a shortened link in reference to a special page with a video describing what you can do to help potential dental patients.
It is also great to use Twitter to search for those who have expressed an interest in similar topic. Another way a brilliant marketing restaurant could use Twitter would be to find out about a local event happening near the area of the restaurant. Find out the hashtag that is being used by that group and monitor it. You could offer a special for them that is related to their areas of interest.
For instance you could have a discount if they say a particular phrase. Think about how this could generate a lot of business for a nearby restaurant at the end of the day when hundreds of convention attendees are looking for the drinks and meals following their big event.
Many social media platforms offer people to find out about some groups, contributing value to them. But be very careful to not advertise and try to sell in the groups. That would be like joining a church or synagogue and shouting about your special deals during a prayer! Treat each point of contact with the reverence and style that is appropriate.
The opportunities are limited only by your imagination, and there are endless ways to market on social media. Find the best approaches that work for you in your business – experiment, test, use analytics. When you find what works, test other aspects. It is an on-going and never-ending process.
