Believe it or not, 80 percent of internet users globally have at least one social media account. In total, social media users exceeded 3.4 billion people in 2019. Business owners and marketers know that these platforms are vital for the success of their business. Due to their desire to improve, brand managers are continually looking for ways to connect with their audience and keep them invested in the company.
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Social media marketing is not something static, the way we used to imagine old school SEO rules. Instead, social media is something that changes with consumer interests, product availability, and of course, your marketing budget. As we get comfortable in the year 2020, it’s time to start thinking about ways you can improve your marketing strategy for the new year.
If you’re looking to improve your sales, engagement rate, or subscribers, through your social media accounts, stay tuned. We are going to take a look at four marketing tactics you need to know in 2020. Let’s dive in!
Work with Micro-Influencers
By now, we are all familiar with social media influencers. Essentially, these are people with hundreds of thousands of followers who produce content, both sponsored and for fun, that helps businesses owners spread the word about their products and services.
As 2019 came to a close, we heard quite a few business owners say that micro-influencers are going to become an integral part of their social media marketing strategy in 2020. Why? Simply put, more significant influencers are not capable of reaching a small personalized audience the way a micro-influencer can. The reason for this thought process is simple. Normal influencers could have over a million followers; there are lines drawn in the sand based on beliefs, location, and interests.
However, nano-influencers work with specific topics and thus have a smaller audience. The great part about working with micro-influencers is if you can find someone that covers your niche, there’s a good chance that the values of their target audience align with your own.
Additionally, micro-influencers tend to have stronger connections with their followers, which means that when they suggest your product, there’s already trust because of the source. This tactic is also one way to build social proof for your business.
Build a Community
On average, consumers spend two hours and twenty-two minutes on social media every single day. When they are spending time browsing sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, its vital that these people can talk to other like-minded people about their interests.
There’s something to be said about discussions in the form of comments on your posts; for example, engagement on your posts can significantly boost your brand visibility on that platform. However, there are not many people that want to hang out on a business social media page all day to talk to others.
Facebook Groups are an excellent place to build a community on the platform. After you’ve created your business profile, you can create a group that focuses on your niche as a whole. People love hanging out in crowded groups and discussing ideas, tips, and experiences. If your team is actively working in the group and guiding consumers towards a path of success, you’ll see an increase in your social media engagement and subscribers throughout the year.
Add a Customer Service Option
Customer service is vital for several reasons. First, it ensures a smooth customer experience where a new consumer can quickly and accurately learn how to navigate your product or service. Secondly, data obtained from customer service is a vital tool used for creating detailed customer personas. You’ll want to observe customer pain points and goals as you gather data from your support team.
It’s safe to say that if you miss out on a big opportunity in the customer service department, it could cost your business in 2020. We suggest that you implement customer service on your business profile for consumers that direct message or tag you with questions. Research shows that 68 percent of consumers expect a business to respond to their social media message in less than two hours.
Many analysts believe that this trend is due to accessibility. Before smartphones, if a business didn’t answer your request, you had to prepare for a long drive. Now, 79 percent of social media users access their profiles with their smartphones. Business owners and marketers need to accommodate consumers in this age of instant information. If your business isn’t willing to answer their question, they will find a competitor that helps with customer support issues on their social media account.
Encourage Engagement with Limited-Time Events
Engagement is the final piece of the puzzle when you’re trying to grow your social media reach. You can have stellar content, award-winning customer support, and the best influencer promoting your product, but if your engagement is low, none of that matters. For you to benefit from social media marketing, you have to work to create fun events for your followers. The more followers interact with your profile, the more likely they are to recheck it in the future for new updates.
There are plenty of ways to improve engagement through your social media channel. First, we suggest you post your blog content with thought-provoking questions for readers. The goal is to inspire a discussion and get people interested in what you wrote.
Online giveaways are becoming increasingly popular as new social media brands look for ways to grow their audience. Basically, marketers will offer a free product or gift card to consumers in exchange for sharing your post and tagging their friends.
You’ll see a benefit in exposure from the share, but the tagging friends aspect is essential for acquiring new customers through referrals. When you announce the winner, make it an event. Don’t forget to send everyone that entered a coupon for their participating. This small gesture could spark engagement through your comments section and sales page.
Conclusion
Social media is here to stay. The marketing aspect of these platforms is bound to change as new companies take the spotlight, and algorithms change into something almost unrecognizable. But the core mission to bring people together will remain untouched.
As your business grows, you’ll have to adjust your social media marketing strategy consistently if you want to see success. You can use the tips we mentioned here to increase your sales, boost your exposure, improve brand trust, and learn more about your target audience.
