Social Media Marketing is simply when a business or website seeks to increase web traffic through social media networks. Based in Kansas City, our social media marketing programs center on efforts to create content that attracts attention in the hope that social media users will share it with their social networks. When a business profile is shared by users of these networks they are usually more trusted by the other users in the network because it comes from a trusted source. This form of marketing is more grass-roots and comes directly from the users of the network. With the ever increasing popularity of sites like Facebook and Twitter, this form of marketing is a key way to prepare your business for the future. Whether you are in the Kansas City area or based nationally, the more communication you can generate with your potential clients, the more it will result in greater brand awareness and ultimately more online business.
Word-of-mouth
The most crucial element to understand about a social media marketing campaign is the way that the information is spread on the web through social media users. This is a purely word-of-mouth style of marketing based on users who choose to “like” or “follow” your company. But when one user shares something about your company, everyone in his or her contact list will be able to view it. If any of the contacts chooses to share this, then all of their contacts will be able to view it as well. This can quickly get your company a lot of brand recognition and can increase web traffic far beyond the Kansas City area.
Engagement
Engagement is a term used in social media to describe how both customers and businesses are participants in social media rather than viewers. This means that anyone along the way can express a unique opinion or post about the business which can help further mold your marketing campaign. The customers, in this sense, are helping to guide the marketing. This can offer a different avenue of input directly from your customers and potential customers for your marketing campaign.
Content
The content of your website is one of the most important factors in increasing web traffic and Search Engine Optimization. Social media marketing is no different. The best way to increase visibility on social networking sites is to regularly produce content that draws in potential web traffic. This can include text, pictures, videos, news, links, and other content that would be important for your current and potential clients to view.
Advertising
One way to increase visibility on social networking sites is through advertising on these sites. Facebook alone captured 27.9 percent of the U.S. display advertising market in 2011 [1]. This is a figure that has been steadily increasing over the past few years and will more than likely continue to increase in the future. This is due in large part to the fact that users stay on their Facebook pages for longer periods of time than at other sites and Facebook can specifically target a users’ interests [2]. Facebook’s advertising application is simple to use and can be targeted to very specific demographics and interests of users on the site. You can even target specific areas of Kansas City for your ads to focus on.
Statistics
Here are some statistics from the 2010 Social Media Marketing Industry Report which demonstrate how lucrative advertisers find social media marketing[3]. These statistics were from a study that included 1,800 marketers in both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) marketing:
- Exposure- 85% of the marketers said the websites generated exposure for their business.
- Improved search rankings - 54% of these marketers said the websites helped increased the Search Engine Results Position (SERP) of their business website.
- More traffic - 63% of marketers in the study said their business website experienced increased traffic, an increase in subscribers, or a larger opt-in list because of social networking websites.
- New business partnerships – 56% of the marketers said the websites helped them form new business partnerships.
- Lead generation- 52% of the marketers said the websites helped them generate quality sales leads.
- Increased sales – 48% of the marketers in the study said the social media websites helped them sell products or services, or close business deals.
Conclusion
Social Media Marketing is certainly a new frontier for marketers and will continue to gain steam in the future. Including social media marketing in a broader marketing campaign is becoming more crucial in today’s online environment. At Fox Web Creations, we highly recommend integration of social media marketing to help bring your company into the 21st Century.
Citations
