Social Media Marketing 101

social media marketing 101

social media marketing 101

Social media marketing has become the newest wave of business savvy. But despite its popularity, the actual process is one of the most easily misunderstood, leaving people unsure of how to proceed and be successful doing it. Hence the need for some clarification on social media marketing 101 basics.

There is a misconception that it is expensive, difficult and time-consuming, none of which is the case. As a matter of fact, social media has offered an affordable and simple way of getting the word out and connecting with both customers and potential networking partners. It makes old and costly forms of marketing obsolete and changes the way that we do business both online and off.

It all comes down to changing the way you look at and perform marketing tasks. Because you are no longer relying on the classic means of pushing the idea of a product or service through a campaign. Now, you are dealing with a medium of marketing based on sharing and networking. You don’t follow by the same rules any longer.

Now that you have a new focus, it is time to shed the outdated practices that were costing you money. Ultimately, this will save a lot of cash that was once used on marketing, and can now be placed elsewhere. Follow this social media marketing 101 guide for cutting the outdated steps from your marketing, and moving into a new age.

Social Media Marketing 101: Take Advantage of Viral Video Popularity

Have you noticed a recent trend on YouTube and other sites? You should have. It is that low budget is ultimately more popular than anything flashy and expensively produced. More believable and entertaining, having videos that are obviously lacking funds, but are high in creativity, will get you far.

For example, just think of the little videos that have become massively known and made money for their creators. The “Numa Numa Guy”, Pop Rocks & Mentos…these have been seen everywhere by everyone and were then adapted for media campaigns.

Stop dropping so much cash on heavily produced and glossed clips that won’t get you far. Instead, work on something that requires planning and thought, without funding.

Social Media Marketing 101: Get Someone Who Is Good With The Public

I have lost track of the amount of times I have been on a company’s Twitter or Facebook page and seen some goon who can barely interact on a social level manning the account. They have obviously been trained, but they have no natural talent with people. This becomes evident as they struggle to answer complaints, make jokes or just come up with something interesting to say.

Social networking gives unparalleled access to customers, and that means you now have a need for someone more than a spokesperson. You now need someone who can literally interact on behalf of your business. They should have a natural ability to do this, not a lot of training on top of an awkward personality.

Stop looking at job titles, resumes or “public face” experience. Just see how they act and if they can remain consistent when posting. That person will be the ideal candidate. Anyone else is just wasted money for nothing.

Social Media Marketing 101: Use Social Networking Advertising

Websites like Facebook have an advertising platform that works on an interesting tier. You can continually create ads that will circulate, and you will pay by the click.

Those that perform well are given more rotation, and those that don’t are bumped off the list until you choose to remove it. Either way, you will have hits and misses on a site that is used by almost everyone, and so has high visibility.

The best part is that there are benefits to well-performing ads. Once your account starts making progress (which is only a matter of time), you will start to get reduced per-click rates on future or current ads. This will save you money while keeping your ads at the top of the rotation.

From there, you can direct people either to your website or your Facebook page. This gives you the chance of hooking customers from the get-go, with an easy to use and affordable marketing technique fueled by social networking.

Conclusion

Social media marketing doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it is generally the opposite. The trick is realizing where you should give up on old methods and try thinking of it in a different way.

Giving up on outdated practices will save you a lot while giving you the time and money for what really works in today’s digital world.

Did you find this article on social media marketing 101 insightful?

Are you ready to take the plunge finally?

What tips do you have for saving money on marketing through social media?

Let us know in the comments below.

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By Jessy Troy

Jessy Troy is a social media enthusiast, blogger and stay at home mom.

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  1. Pingback: Social Media Marketing 101 | My Blog July 1, 2016

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