Social media represents a MASSIVE opportunity to market your blog posts, podcasts, images and videos to 3 billion people for next to nothing. And it’s not nearly as hard as you think it is. The only thing you need to know is that it’s nothing like how it was even 3 years ago. This game changes FAST.
This guide lays out the best tips for social media marketing that will actually work in 2019 to solidify your brand, grow your audience, and skyrocket your business.
First, What is Social Media Marketing?
In plain terms, Social media marketing is the use of social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others to promote your products or services.
Basically, it’s creating awesome content and sharing it with an audience of followers to help build a community, create a brand, and gain some publicity. Here are a few ways a company might use large social platforms for business:
1. A local plumber: 1-800-Dial-A-Plumber might create fun videos of themselves fixing a leaky faucet and share it on Facebook so people in the local area can see their skills in action.
2. A music podcast: If you just started a pod about the latest trends in heavy metal (GROOOWLLL), sharing your pod on Facebook and writing some awesome content to go with it will expose you to tens of thousands of new listeners for FREE.
3. The local boxing gym: The local Muay Thai gym can create 30-second videos of fights or before and after training videos and share them across Instagram so potential new members can see what they’ll get and message the dojo directly.
Are you starting to see the power of Social Media? You will now….
95% of people ages 18-34 follow a brand on social media and 29% of all people use social media to research products or services they want to buy (Brandwatch.com).
Social Media Marketing: The Basics
Like all forms of marketing, you have to have a plan and goals in mind before you start this journey.
If you don’t, you won’t effectively reach your ideal audience. You can’t just post to social media and hope for the best. You must post WITH PURPOSE.
Step 1: Choose the Right Platforms
1. Facebook: Best for men and women 25-55 (but more for women). Industries: fashion, entertainment, real estate, sports, health & wellness, news (NOT FAKE NEWS), and marketing.
2. Instagram: Popular with 18-35-year-olds, more women than men. Industries: Travel, fitness, fashion, health & wellness, beauty, arts & crafts, and weight loss. Focus on visual content!
3. Twitter: Men and women equally, ages 18-30. Industries: News & information, telecom, finance, retail, and sports.
4. Pinterest: Women ages 18-45. Fashion, beauty, photography, food, health, home & garden, arts & crafts, weddings, and event planning. Pinterest is great for hobbyists!
Special Mention – YouTube: This giant video streaming behemoth is an animal unto itself. There are almost 2 BILLION active monthly users. And more than half of US adults use it regularly. Make a YouTube channel for your brand, produce great videos, link to your site and other content in the videos or in the description, and reap the benefits. YouTube might even give SEO benefits, too.
Statistics courtesy of Blue Corona.
This is a very basic overview but should point you in the right direction.
Step 2: Create Realistic Goals
Do you want to grow a social following, drive high-ROI leads, solidify yourself as a thought leader, or sell products directly?
Create realistic goals (10 million new followers is NOT realistic), and stick to them. Come up with a plan to execute them.
If you want to sell more products, focus in on the right audience and hone in your ad copy. If you want to drive new leads, start creating more content and sharing. You get the point.
TIP: Make sure your goals solve your biggest needs. If you’re struggling to bring in new customers, focus on driving leads rather than growing your following. Take it step by step!
Step 3: Know the Most Important Targeting Metrics
The biggest social media marketing mistake companies make is targeting the wrong people. Showing a 30-year old, English-speaking man an ad for a mystic maternity necklace in Greek is a waste of marketing dollars.
Here are the questions you need to ask:
1. Who are we targeting: Men, women, mothers, athletes, fathers, fashion buffs, nerds, etc.?
2. How do they use social media: Which pages do they like, who do they follow, have they ever bought before, do they like videos or images, etc.?
3. What’s their income?
4. Where do they live?
5. How active are they?
Step 4: Do Social Media Marketing the Right Way With These 5 Tips
Now that you know which platform to use, your goals, and your target audience, it’s time to show them the content they’ll love….the right way!
Use these social marketing tips for 2019 and you’ll instantly be a step ahead of the competition:
1. Get Raw and Personal:
We know that sounds a bit crazy, but in 2019 users want more honesty and humanity in your social posts. Those boring old static updates won’t do anymore. Instead of just sharing a plumbing blog post, share an interview with a plumber about the worst job he’s ever worked on and how bad it smelled!
Record footage of you working on an emergency job site and share it on Facebook. Ride in the front seat with a plumber on his daily route and let the audience get to know him. People love this stuff!
2. Nano Influencers Matter!:
Don’t focus on big fish (influencers with millions of followers). Instead, focus on ordinary citizens with 5,000 followers or less. No, seriously. Especially if you are hyper-local. Target these people and have them share real, intimate stories of you and your product.
3. VIDEO!!!:
Video killed the social media content star. 54% of consumers want to see MORE videos from the brands they love (Hubspot). Video content is growing in popularity with no signs of slowing down.
4. Quality ALWAYS Beat Quantity:
You need to be more picky about what you share. Your audience is following you for specific reasons, so don’t stray from your bread and butter. Also, be careful of suggested content tools that just blindly suggest new content to visitors based on keywords. Keep sharing only highly relevant content and industry news.
5. Use Actionable Hashtags:
The biggest brands know how to leverage hashtags to build community. Just look at the success of #10YearChallenge right now. Find a hashtag around your niche (one food blog used EEEATS) and cultivate your audience by tagging it in all of your posts. Also, keep up with your community and tag interested users!
Ready to go out and absolutely crush 2019 social media marketing? We bet you are now!
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