Tips for Social Media Marketing

While social media have been around for a few years, they're still the new frontier in marketing. Because the medium is so new, keeping up with social media marketing tactics isn't easy. Check out these helpful tips for a successful social media presence:

• Use images to amplify your social media posts. Let's face it: people like pretty pictures. If you're not getting the amount of engagement that you're looking for out of your social media audience, you can often attract more attention by posting pictures rather than just text updates. Look into free stock photography, or snap some pics of your own.
• Choose the right image. A picture is worth a thousand words, and images can help to grab attention and clarify a message. Unfortunately, images are open to interpretation. Before you select an image for a social media update, make sure it communicates what you want it to. Text overlays can be added quickly and easily with online image editing tools such as PicMonkey or Pixlr. A few words can make the difference between your content being overlooked and attracting your target audience.
• Go deep, not broad, with social media. When it comes to social media, businesses should go deep, not broad. It's better to become a master of one or two channels of communication than to waste your efforts on many. Presently, the two most popular platforms are Facebook and Twitter. But if photos or videos are your thing, you might consider options such as Instagram or YouTube. There's no harm in having more than one social media outlet, of course. But make sure whatever you're using is appropriate to your wants and needs.
• Focus on the platforms your customers use. While you need to play to your strengths, consider also where your clients are. Find out where your customers are hanging out online, choose a platform or two that you enjoy and that align with your interests, and then focus deeply on those platforms. Setting up Google Alerts for your business name, industry, and/or topics of interest can give you insight into where your customers are interacting online.
• Build online influence. Influence is the secret ingredient for social media success. By focusing on becoming a person of influence in your industry, you'll build trust and loyalty; people will know that you're sincere and that you truly care about helping them. This is a long-term investment that involves constant enthusiasm and professionalism. But keep up the hard work—it's worth it in the long run.

The use of social media in marketing can cause anxiety because of it's newness. But a comforting thought is that no one really knows yet what's certain to work. Have fun and try some experiments and see what works for you. You might just pick up some customers along the way!