Social media platforms have now been around for decades, but their influence and popularity continues to grow and evolve. Regardless of the industry your business is in, it’s more important than ever to have an active presence on social media channels. However, not all social media platforms are made the same, and audiences on each are also different. Plus, your business’s goals should help define how you should share your brand and where. Here’s more information about why social media marketing is important for your business and our top 10 tips to help with your success. Why is social media marketing important for your business? Having a social media presence can allow your business to do a number of things, like: * Increase brand awareness. * Promote your products/service. * Create two-way conversations with prospects and customers. * Generate leads and sales. * Establish trust and relationships with your followers. * Foster brand loyalty. Social media provides an incredible opportunity to create content and develop ways to not only tell their story and promote their brand but also drive demand, foster loyalty, and expand your reach. Organic social allows you to post and engage for free, while paid social involves paid advertising opportunities to help drive even more conversions or website traffic. Plus, with extensive targeting capabilities, your business can reach the audience that’s most important to you. 10 tips on social media marketing for businesses Let's jump right in with our top ten tips to help your business grow on social: 1. Start by setting goals It will be virtually impossible to create and implement a successful social media marketing strategy without goals. Ask yourself why you’re interested in social media marketing and what you hope it accomplishes. Some examples of social media marketing goals include: * Increase brand awareness * Generate leads * Increase sales * Boost engagement with your brand and community * Drive traffic to your website or blog Remember, these goals should be specific, measurable, and realistic. They should also align with your company’s goals on a larger level. 2. Know your target audience To create a strategy that resonates and helps accomplish your goals, it's essential to know details about your target audience. One reason is that different social media platforms are popular with different audiences. For example: * While 70% of U.S. adults use Facebook, it's the most popular social network for men and women ages 35-44, with only about 7% of female users ages 16-24 using the site. It also leans more toward males, with 56.6% of the ad audience being men. * Instagram is also primarily 18-24-year-olds (30.1%) and 25-34-year-olds (31.5%), so brands wanting to speak to Gen Z or Millennials may find success on this platform. However, Gen X is the fastest-growing group of users on Instagram, with the number of 55-64-year-old males using the app growing by 63.6% in 2021. * More than 70% of Twitter users are males, primarily between the ages 25-34 and 35-49. Twitter users also tend to have higher household incomes and education relative to the general population. * On the other hand, TikTok skews female, with about 57% of users being female vs. 43% male. About 43% of the audience is between 18-24, with the next largest group being ages 25-34. Another reason is that as you create content to post, you need to be sure it's speaking to your target audience. Whether you're asking them to be entertained, educated, or informed, what you produce and the type of content you're sharing should be created specifically for your audience. For example, research shows people under age 35 prefer videos, while those in older age groups prefer news articles or reports. It should be easy to know your audience because your company or brand should already have extensive research on their ideal customers. 3. Choose your platform(s) wisely Once you have goals and know your audience, it’s time to choose the best platform(s). Keep in mind that you don’t have to be everywhere and can instead choose one or two platforms that are best suited for your audience and brand. For example, if your audience skews older, you don’t have to be on TikTok (even though it seems to be one of the most popular sites right now), and you should instead focus on Facebook. In addition to choosing a site where your audience is, also consider how you’ll tailor your content. Instagram was created for sharing photos, so if the content you’ll be sharing is more text-based, this channel may not be best. TikTok and YouTube are video-based, so if your brand doesn’t have the ability to create videos, you may not want to focus there. Feel free to do some trial and error here. If you start on Twitter but find your tweets aren’t generating any engagement or clicks, you can pivot to a different platform. 4. Check out the competition You can also get inspired by doing some competitive analysis on others in your industry. These competitors can be big and small. For example, if you’re a local pet supply shop, look at Chewy and PetSmart, but also other small pet supply stores. A few things to pay attention to include: * The platforms they are on * How often they post * What types of content they are posting * What content is getting the most engagement (likes, comments, shares, etc.) from followers * How the brand interacts with their followers You can complete a formal competitive analysis if you like, or you can informally research competitors to learn more to help get you started. 5. Create content that’s relevant, engaging, and consistent Your audience, platform, and competitor research will all come in handy here, as well as keeping your goals in mind. Remember, content can come in a variety of formats, such as: * Images * Infographics * Videos * Blog posts * Ebooks * Webinars * Case studies * How-to guides * Podcasts * Listicles The types of content you create should be designed for your audience and the platforms where you’re sharing it. For example, attraction content can help bring visitors to your website and are designed to be shared. Providing valuable information that your audience is already searching for is key to attracting prospects to your products. Authority content can help position your brand as a trusted advisor in your industry, helps answer questions, and offers solutions. Use this content to show you understand your audience and what they need. Affinity content can inspire prospects to choose your business over other competitors. Connect with your audience through emotion and engagement. Finally, you’ll also want to create actionable content. This content is designed to turn your prospects into customers and should be created with a specific conversion goal or call to action in mind. This content should be compelling, generate enthusiasm or excitement, or inform. In some cases, you may be asking your audience to provide their contact information or download something, so it needs to be good enough to convince them to do that. As you create content, develop a content calendar that helps you map out when you’ll be posting, what content it is, and on what platform. Experts recommend posting on: * Facebook between 1-2 times per day. * Instagram between 3-7 times per week. * Twitter between 1-5 times per day. * LinkedIn between 1-5 times per day. A content calendar can help keep you organized and ensure consistency across platforms and your brand. Another tip is not to post the exact same content on all channels. Each channel was created differently, so while you may share content one way on Facebook, it should be adjusted to fit Instagram. Even if it’s just changing the image, intro text, or CTA, avoid cross-posting on multiple platforms without making any adjustments. 6. Engage with your followers One of the huge benefits of social media is that it can be used as a two-way communication tool between your prospects/customers and your business. This can happen in two different ways: * If someone comments on your post, comment back. Or, at least “like” their comment. This shows customers that you read your page comments and care about what they have to say, both good and bad. It can help you retain or even increase your followers, engagement, and customer service while building relationships with your followers and establishing trust. * If someone messages you on social media, you should respond. A recent study showed that 40% of consumers expect brands to respond within the first hour of reaching out on social media, and 79% expect a response within the first 24 hours. Whether they are asking a question or leaving a complaint, build responding to these messages into your customer service training. 7. Analyze and optimize Social media is constantly changing, from how users interact with brands to how your content appears organically. It’s important to stay on top of this information and these trends, as well as who your audience is and how your content is performing. KPIs to pay attention to can include: * Follower demographics * Impressions * Post reach * Clicks * Web traffic * Likes/comments/shares * Traffic conversions * Social sentiment You may have others depending on your business’s specific goals. This information can be found directly within the social media site itself or by using a KPI dashboard like Google Analytics. If you’re just starting out, you may want to keep an eye on at least some of these KPIs on a weekly basis. Or, you should at least check and report on them monthly. You can optimize your audience or content strategy to get better performance or conversions. Perhaps you need to be posting at different times of the day, or your types of content aren’t resonating with your followers. Maybe you’re posting too much or not enough. Minor tweaks can help you learn what is and isn’t working, and tracking your KPIs allows you to quickly pivot to something that can be more successful. 8. Test, Test, Test Your social media strategy may not be successful out of the gate. It may take time to learn about what your audience wants to see from you and how to have the best brand presence. One of the best ways to do this is simply by testing. You can use formal A/B testing capabilities within the platforms or anecdotally track performance of any changes you make. Testing can help you perfect your social media marketing strategy, and learnings can even be scaled into other marketing channels. 9. Be authentic It’s so important for everything you post to remain true to your brand and your company’s mission and values. Consumers are experts at spotting fakeness, especially on social media, and they will not respond well. Deliver on your promises, and strive to build a real and powerful presence through your posts and interactions with followers. 10. Know the algorithms and stay on top of changes Social media algorithms are how these platforms work, filtering and ranking content based on unique criteria. Not only do these platforms have different algorithms, but they are also constantly changing. These changes can affect things like: * Who sees your posts * When your posts are shown * Engagement with your posts * Conversions For example, only content that receives the most likes/comments/shares may be shown. Posts that are more recent will appear higher on feeds. The more users engage with content, the more they will see from that particular brand. Content with specific keywords that are more relevant to specific users may be shown for them but buried for others. You may notice on your feed that you don’t see content from every person you’re friends with or brand you follow. This is due to the algorithms. While your profiles will never be perfect, it emphasizes the importance of creating engaging and informative content that your audience interacts with.
Research shows that: * 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family above all other forms of advertising. * 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations. * 40% have purchased something after seeing it on Twitter, YouTube, or Instagram. * 60% of consumers have been influenced by social media or a blog while shopping at a store. * 72% of consumers say they trust online customer reviews. Because of these stats and more, many companies and brands are turning to brand ambassadors to help generate leads and sales of their products. This is also known as influencer marketing. Being a brand ambassador requires knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of the job, all of which have evolved over the years with changes in social media and brand awareness goals and strategies. However, it boils down to representing a brand you love and helping to market them to grow their customer base. Read on to learn more about what a brand ambassador is, how to become one, and the top things to know about being a brand ambassador. What is a brand ambassador? A brand ambassador is considered the “face” of a brand and uses their influence to promote a brand and its products or services to their network with the goal of increasing brand awareness, generating leads, and driving sales. Typically, these people already have an established network and following, especially on social media platforms, and can use those relationships to market a brand through different marketing tactics like referring friends, posting online about the brand or products, etc. Other responsibilities may include: * Assisting in content creation (such as blogs, newsletters, videos, product reviews, etc.) * Generating brand awareness through word-of-mouth marketing * Providing insights or feedback on new products/services * Representing the brand in a variety of settings, such as at events A brand ambassador is expected to constantly engage with their community to generate brand awareness and interest. This could be through blog posts, representing the brand at an event, wearing the brand on your clothing, or simply talking to people about it. In this role, brand ambassadors are also expected to help market and tell the story of the company via social media, which makes it critical for the ambassador to have a professional presence online while also having a robust presence and engaged following. Examples of social media platforms that can play a key role include LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok. 7 steps to become a brand ambassador Here's a quick seven-step guide that can help put you on the right track to becoming a successful brand ambassador: 1. Have a social media presence One of the top requirements to be a brand ambassador is to have a public social media presence. If you don’t already, develop profiles on the top social media platforms. Keep in mind that your profile has to be public, so remaining professional and consistent is important. It can be helpful to also have a business or creator account, like those offered on Instagram, for additional benefits. Part of your social presence should be optimizing your profiles. For example: * Make sure your bio shares who you are, what you do, and why someone should care. * Choose a profile picture that shows your personality but also your professionalism. * Add links to your website or a call to action, like contacting you in your DMs, to encourage your followers to engage with you. 2. Define your personal brand Your brand is how you represent yourself to the public, especially online and through your social media. This can be a great way to set yourself apart from others in the space. Share your values, vision, excitement, passions, and personality through your posts. The more authentic you are, the more your followers will connect with you, and the more likely they are to trust your recommendations. 3. Build a following The best way to do this is by posting great content on a regular basis. * Post content your followers will be interested in or entertained by. * Use relevant hashtags. * Post often and consistently. * Experiment with different types of content, like text, videos, images, etc. The more you can plan ahead and schedule in advance, the better and easier for you. You’ll also want to be sure to engage with your followers. Ask questions, “like” comments, and comment back. Respond to DMs. The best way to build trust and continued engagement with your followers is to show you care about them and value their time and support. Finally, share your social profiles every chance you can. The more that people know about who you are and what you do, the more likely they are to follow you. 4. Research brand ambassador programs There are dozens of brands out there looking for brand ambassadors. Requirements can vary, but most expect someone with a social media following who will help spread the word about their brand. Find a brand you already use, love, or are passionate about. Your promotion of the product should feel natural for your followers. Also, check out the different perks the brand offers to its ambassadors and find one that’s most suited to your wants. 5. Start networking Start by interacting with large brands in your niche. Get to know those brands, what they post, how they share and market their products, and how they interact with prospects and customers. Follow, like, and comment on these brand accounts, but avoid spamming them. Then, you can move on to affiliate marketing, which is promoting a link or promo code for a brand. Be sure the brand and products resonate with your followers, so they don’t feel like you’re pushing unwanted content on them. 6. Apply for a role Most companies have an application for people who want to be brand ambassadors, similar to a standard job application. Once you fill out the application, you’ll be contacted by someone from the brand to start an interview process and ideally, get hired. You can also start with small businesses and startups that need help promoting their products. While you may be working for free at first, they may offer you free products or discounts. Plus, it can help build your portfolio so the bigger brands will take you more seriously. 7. Always be optimizing Analyze your campaigns to get a firm understanding of what does and doesn’t work. Learn about what you can do better, not only for your brand but for your followers. Look at numbers like clicks, engagements, and conversions. Ask for feedback from the brand to understand if your posts are driving leads or sales. You can also keep an eye on the demographics of your following to better design your content and campaigns to resonate better with them. Top things to know about being a brand ambassador * Candidate requirements: If you want to be a brand ambassador, you should be enthusiastic, energetic, outgoing, and have a sizable social media presence and following. Ideally, you are already familiar with the brand you’re representing and are willing to endorse it and its products/services. Having flexibility in your schedule can also be helpful, as can experience with marketing and social media. * Salary: Another thing to know is that you can be a brand ambassador as a side hustle, or you could make it a full-time effort, depending on the brand. Salaries can vary greatly, especially since you’ll likely get to choose your hours and level of effort, and companies compensate differently. However, the national average ranges from about $20,000 to $58,000 per year or more. Hourly sage is about $10-16 per hour. Additionally, some brands may offer a commission to incentivize the brand ambassador to generate leads and promote products. In this case, your compensation would greatly depend on the level of effort you put in. * Free products: Sometimes, brands offer their brand ambassadors free products. These could be sneak peeks at new products, existing products to post about and share with their followers, or even free products as an incentive and reward for being a brand ambassador. You may also be eligible for discounts or get discount codes you can share. * Long-term relationship: Many brand ambassadors work with the same brand over a long period of time. Unlike some other types of influencers, who may do a variety of one-off sponsorships or partnerships with brands, brand influencers try to build a long-term relationship with the brand.
