The latest gossip, breaking news and trends all vie for attention on social media platforms.
This virtual innovation emerged in 1996 and is used by more than half of the world’s population today.
Backlinko, hailed as the SEO go-to guru for marketers by organisations such as Forbes and the Huffington Post, reported on the impact of social media in April 2021.
Statistics indicate that users increased from 970 million to more than 3.8 billion between 2010 and 2020.
The numbers further indicate that the average person has approximately eight different social media accounts.
These statistics confirm the undeniable reach of social media platforms.
Social media marketing can have a definitive impact on the online presence of businesses and their associated brands.
Marketing expert and consultant Neil Patel stated that the mere creation and publication of content are not enough to establish a prominent online presence and promote user traffic.
He emphasised that being serious about driving online traffic and prominence heavily relies on targeted, purposeful content on social media platforms.
Effective social media marketing has numerous benefits, including increased brand exposure and website traffic, lead generation, sales promotion, and establishing a marketing platform.
More than 85% of digital marketers credit social media marketing as a contributor to website traffic and the online efficacy of companies.
Despite this recognised importance of social media marketing, many content marketing efforts fall short and do not capitalise on the reach value and resultant impact of social media platforms.
Experts advise that content marketing for social media should address and incorporate the following to be effective:
- Clearly defined profiles and bios. A bio should briefly communicate the exact essence of a company and its brands. However brief, a skilled content developer can reflect a company’s unique tone and style and plot content that expertly guides a prospective lead to home or landing pages.
- Never underestimate the value of word of mouth (or social proof). Including social proof – what clients say about a business or product in reviews and comments – serves as a testimonial. When prospective clients read about the satisfaction of existing clients, confidence and trust are automatically boosted. Professionals recommend including social proof in a website’s ‘About us’ sections to confirm company and brand statements.
- Look further than the top three of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The primary aim of social media marketing content is to reach the widest audience possible. Platforms such as Pinterest and Reddit have significant traffic. Content marketers should align a client’s goals with social media platform niches and audiences.
- Promote high-quality content. Use the promotional functions on the various social media platforms to regularly expose specific content or excerpts from content. In this manner, users regularly ‘stumble’ across marketing material, which reinforces messages and commits chosen information to memory.
- Know an audience and develop content for that audience. Often, marketing content unintentionally revolves around personal preferences. Effective content, however, is detached, objective and developed for the target audience.
Partnering with a content developer that truly understands a business, its brands and objectives lay the foundations for successful social media marketing strategies.
