Social Media is no longer the future of marketing. It’s the current moment, and if you haven’t joined in with it yet, you’re missing out on a huge swath of the market. Whether you are about to drop a new product line or simply want to expand into new clientele, a social media campaign is a great way to get your brand out into the world. If you are completely new to the process, don’t worry. Follow these easy seven tips, and you’ll be a pro at social media campaigning in no time.
What Makes a Social Media Campaign Successful?
The success of a social media campaign is generally measured on targets reached and conditions met. These are things that should be set before launching the campaign; that way, you know what you want to achieve before even starting out. Look at targets and conditions as your overall goals for the marketing strategy. They should be measurable and sustainable. They could be as simple as gaining new followers, likes, and shares, or more complex, such as securing more web traffic and conversions.
These goals will change depending on your company and your online presence, but they usually fall into the category of either increasing brand recognition or boosting online sales. With that in mind, let’s look at how you can achieve your goals.
Tip Number One – Test the Waters
Before you go ahead and launch a full-on social media campaign, it’s always wise to do a pilot run first. A week or so before the full campaign, test a few sample ads and try to figure out who would be the best target audience for your campaign. Watch who interacts most with the pilot ads and, depending on the response, make small tweaks to optimize your content.
A good way to do this without giving too much away is by just posting a few pictures. Try out different target markets and play around with what brings in the most attention. After the test run, you’ll then have a good idea of what will and won’t sell, and you can develop better marketing content.
Tip Number Two – Stick to a Target
After testing the waters, you should have a good idea of who you want to target with the campaign. Hold onto that target and don’t veer too far away from it. Social media campaigns are all about finding your demographic and giving them content that satisfies their interests and likes. The more that your audience feels connected to your product, the more likely they are to become a loyal consumer.
By not going to general, you’ll find that your company starts to morph into more of a brand. With consistent and targeted content, you’ll be less of a something-for-all business and more of a niche that serves the needs of your community.
Tip Number Three – Direct Your Audience
Remember that the purpose of a marketing strategy is to guide your audience towards some sort of decision. Instead of hoping that subtle hints will do the trick, be direct, and give your audience a call to action. Tell them to check out your website, sign up for your emailing list, or buy a new product. Be proud of your company and brand, and don’t be afraid to encourage your audience to engage with it.
Every ad you post should include some sort of call to action so that your audience knows what the point of the post is.
Tip Number Four – Record Your Success
If you aren’t keeping track of your results, how will you know if your campaign is successful? While it might sound obvious, so many companies launch social media campaigns and never think to check-in or keep track of their results. Record how many engagements your ads receive, track likes and shares, and weigh the campaign’s cost against any bumps in profits.
Remember to weigh your data against your original target goals. If you intended to produce more conversions, you should put more weight in profit growth, but if you only meant to gain more brand recognition, likes, shares, follows, and engagements should hold more weight.
Tip Number Five – Make Content, Not Ads
People don’t log in to their social media accounts to go shopping. They log in to check up on friends and engage with exciting new content. If you’re only posting old-school advertisements, you’re going to miss the mark. If you try too hard to sell, your audience will see it and move on to something better.
Instead, remember your target audience and create content that relates to their interests in the context of your brand and product. Look at a social media campaign as a way to share information about your product, how it’s made, the inspiration behind it, how it can be used every day, and so on. Save the selling for the last line when you drop a call to action.
Tip Number Six – Cut Your Loses if It Doesn’t Pan Out
If you check the numbers and you’re nowhere near reaching your target goals, know when to call it quits. Marketing campaigns don’t always work out, and when that happens, it’s better to wrap it up early rather than putting your chips on a losing horse.
Marketing is an investment and a cost, so it if doesn’t look like it’s worth continuing, stop, take the money you save from ending early, and invest that into a better strategy. Often, this means more research and development.
Tip Number Seven – Listen to Your Audience
Just as you did a pre-test, remember to follow up with your consumers after the campaign ends. Getting consumer feedback is a great way to learn what your audience likes, how you can improve, and what you should continue to do well.
Use social media to your advantage. Follow what people are saying about your brand on Twitter and Facebook. If you find any harsh or negative feedback, this is also a great way to reach out and rectify any problem areas. Be honest and say that you’re working to improve the brand in the future and offer solutions whenever possible.
Where to Get More Help with Your Marketing
If you are still unsure about your brand’s marketing strategy, you can always talk to our professionals, and we will gladly help you get set up with a social media campaign.
Enidan Marketing is committed to helping your business steer through the world of digital marketing with confidence and calmness. For more information, feel free to reach out to us by email or phone. We are looking forward to talking with you!