You’ve done everything you can think of to get found online by potential leads. You have a user-friendly website with inbound links and search engine optimization galore. You’ve built up a credible blog with posts just waiting to be read. And you keep an eye on your performance metrics like a hawk. Sound familiar?
Here’s the thing. Even if you’re delivering your organization’s value eloquently and strategically, you won’t gain any new business if there’s no one to realize that value. And while you may have gone through all the motions to create a site more likely to be found by search engines, that simply might not be enough.
This is where social comes in. Did you know that more than 90% of marketers use social media in their campaigns? Or that 43% of small businesses spend six or more hours per week on its platforms? This world is growing all the time, and you can’t afford to be sitting on the sidelines.
So how to attract attention and convert new customers? Let’s break it down by discussing a few strategies that add value to your brand.
Extend Your Brand
Determine the best platforms for your brand and establish a firm presence there. While it’s great to be on multiple networks at once, you don’t need to be on every form of media out there. That’s a recipe for burnout.
If you’re looking to promote a blog and drive traffic to your website, try incorporating posts with the blog link on Facebook or LinkedIn. Tailor your content to each network as you go – LinkedIn is a professional network, for example, while Facebook is more casual. Cross-promote across platforms to extend your reach even further, and experiment with post formats that seem to resonate with your audience.
Get a Conversation Going
Engage, engage, engage! This one is huge. In order to get more people through your door, you need to establish a relationship with these customers. And what better place to do that than on social media?
When creating shareable content to post, ask questions to create a greater level of engagement with your audience. Incorporate “Did you know?” statistics and establish your credibility as an expert in your field. Share testimonials that recognize that expertise. Users will begin to associate your brand with quality knowledge and service, and that just might earn you new business.
Do Your Research
You want to establish yourself as a leader in the industry and steal market share from the competition, right? In that case, you might want to look into what your competitors are doing on the social scene.
Search for competitor content that is resonating in your field. What are current industry leaders doing to stand out from the pack? How does the volume of shares for your most shared content compare to theirs? What’s working for the competition may not necessarily work for you, but it’s a good idea to start benchmarking your performance to see where you stand. Remember: you want to create a unique brand for your organization, but a few pointers from the pros couldn’t hurt your marketing strategy.
Show Your Human Side
People don’t want to interact with brands; they want to interact with other people. Put simply, if someone needs the products or services that you provide, they will want to see the faces behind the brand who they can trust. But how can you show your humanness?
This is actually an easy task. When interacting with your community, share of glimpse of what it’s like behind the scenes at your organization. Post photos of your dream team, or share an example of your work. Don’t be afraid to get a little humorous or creative if that’s what you want your brand to convey – social media is a great place to develop your brand personality, and consumers will appreciate your authenticity.
Measure Success
Practicing these strategies is all great, but if you don’t track the success of your efforts, how will you know if they are actually converting leads into new customers?
Be specific about what you want your campaigns to achieve, and track your progress over time. How are people reacting? How many new followers/friends/connections are you gaining? Are your engagement rates growing, and could these people be new leads? Many platforms today offer free analytics tools that will provide these kinds of insights, so use them to your advantage.
There you have it! Feeling ready to try these practices on your own? At this point, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed, and we totally get it. But 74% of online adults (ages 18+) use social networks regularly, and that’s a huge market you don’t want to miss out on. Whether your primary goal is to build brand awareness, grow an engaged following, or simply get new faces through the door by driving leads, social media is a powerful marketing tool to get you there. Good luck!
