Adapting to the change
The social media marketing space has changed rapidly due to advancements in technology. It is almost impossible to compare how social media started and how far it is now. Social media is now being used as a tool for sales, engagement with customers, brand awareness, market research and a lot more. It is much more than just posting photos and videos.
As a social media marketing strategist, one has to be aware of the changing landscape and use strategies that are innovative and creative. The following are the social media strategies to look out for in this quater.
1. Video and live video
The attention span of individuals has drastically reduced hence people are spending less time reading and much more time watching. The demand for video as content is unprecedented. Video has been paired with a lot of accurate and valuable user metrics that serve the objectives of the creators. Good quality videos are in demand on platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo.
Social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and others have leveraged on live video. Many streaming services are also available offering live video. In 2020, live video is a plus for any company, in that, they can share personalized content live to their audience who can follow the video from anywhere in the world.
2. Influencers and micro- influencers
Social media marketing is really dependent on the number of people you reach. Over the past few years, the value of social media influencers has gone up. These individuals are able to connect with a lot of customers and can use their channels to still market someone else. This is the whole concept of influencing.
Companies that work with influencers in specific target markets are able to increase their brand awareness through them. They are also able to gain market trust which can be gotten from the influencers and micro-influencers.
3. Messaging and chat bots
Communication between individuals has been reduced to a few lines of characters sometimes 280 characters in the case of Twitter. This means that there is less time left to communicate and therefore one needs to be precise with information. Instant messaging therefore plays an important role in achieving timeliness.
Real time communication with customers is very important in building a relationship. Companies are now using services such as Facebook messenger to directly reply to any queries from their customers. Chat bots have also been heavily involved in customer services to reply to tickets and issues immediately they arise.
4. Using LinkedIn
LinkedIn has always been the professional network for engaging with other professionals. In 2020, LinkedIn has become the go-to network for anything serious. This means that the platform can be used to market professional services. Using LinkedIn as a marketing tool is essential for any business. This brings the aspect of credibility and trust since the social network is very professional.
Leveraging LinkedIn this quater is important for your business to grow a credible network. The site can also be used for employee recruitment, posting official company events or news among others.
5. Engagement and personalization
Social media is used as a channel for engagement between the company and the outside world which consists of its customers, other companies, government, employees etc. A lot of companies are using their social media handles to directly engage with their customers. This engagement makes the customers feel they are heard and cared for.
This direct communication in the end brews trust which eventually leads to brand loyalty. Personalization therefore comes in to continue earning the trust of the customers. Personalized emails and even messages enable the customers to relate with companies on a personal level, even becoming friends. This in turn can increase sales and profitability.
Personalized emails and even messages enable the customers to relate with companies on a personal level even becoming friends.
Final take...
It is imperative in this quater, to ensure that all your social media efforts are up to date with the changing trends and landscape. The biggest take away would have to be that companies are realizing the importance of loving and taking care of their audience. When their audience become their friends, they are able to sell more and maintain better relationships with their customers.
