Let’s face it, the big question that looms on everyone’s mind is also quite possibly the number one challenge that a social media strategy faces in the online business world.
Are social media and online marketing a smart investment opportunity for your business, and how do you execute an effective Social Media strategy for the business that generates a return on investment?
Today social media is on fire, its breakout expansion into virtually every marketplace and consumer household has turned social marketing into the number one online business marketing tool. It almost seems that with every passing year a new social network stakes its claim to millions of active users, creating unique niche channels that become viable options for marketing your business or product.
Between the choices of market opportunities and maintain your connections with your new customer base, your problem becomes two-fold. If like most of us your an SMB (small to mid-size business), customarily run by a very small staff (less than 10 — sometimes none), it’s almost unimaginable to expect you to operate an effective business as well as a successful social media campaign.
So, is it achievable these days to grow an online business without all the liking, blogging, tweets and shares? After all, there is not enough time in the day as it is!
There are platforms out there that promise to save you time; from apps like Tweet Deck to more professional suites like Hootsuite, which links your social media profiles into one dashboard and offers much needed social tools like feed filtering and post scheduling. However, even with those platforms, there is still a big learning curve. It does not help those of us who may be new to social media marketing that no two Social Networks are built alike; Facebook social marketing campaigns are not interchangeable with your Twitter strategy, likewise, your digital strategy for LinkedIn is not going to work for Google+.
Figuring out one platform doesn’t mean you know how to use them all let alone master them – they are each unique and have a different purpose entirely.
So should you devote some time to figure it out? If so, what impact would all those hours behind the computer have on your schedule when you should be running your business?
Hopping on the social bandwagon is quickly being considered the most crucial target marketing ingredient in today’s internet-enabled world. Still, “hopping on the bandwagon” doesn’t necessarily translate to financial success: Your company initially needs to have a greater appreciation of the potential for social media to meet your company objectives as well as having a strategy in position if you want to succeed. Socially engaging in these online communities may mutually damage your company’s reputation just as easily as it can bring you benefits, when not approached strategically and with an understanding of best practices.
What I will share from personal experience in building an online following and target audience is that the majority of us do not have what it takes to really make an impact on social media. Quite simply put, it’s not just about being the life of the party, there is a fine line you must navigate between a well thought creative social media strategy and a basic understanding of social netiquette (etiquette for the internet) where one wrong post could lose you your followers. Not to mention the time many of us are unwilling to, or just can’t afford to dedicate that is required to build and nurture these online relationships.
Here is what your competition may not know yet; there is an emerging industry filled with professionals who have mastered the arts of Social Marketing. These people have figured out the secret sauce required to attract thousands of new followers to your business, brand or product. A Social Media consultant can help you develop your unique recipe for a successful social media campaign that will grow your online business. It’s the ideal alternative when compared to figuring it out on your own.
Learn More, connect today.
