Variety Is the Spice of Social-Media Life, Too Social-media marketing needs continuity to be effective but ever-changing to keep the audience interested.
By Brett Relander Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The use of social media in your online marketing can breathe fresh life into your online advertising efforts. It is important to ensure that you do not fall into the trap of relying on the same type of social media content, or you could end up defeating your original purpose. While it is challenging to continually create new content for your social media posts, try focusing on rotating various types of social media content so that you are able to post a variety of content that is both timely and interesting.
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Polls and questions are excellent ways to generate feedback quickly and easily. Most consumers love to share their opinion. Furthermore, they love knowing that their ideas are heard and actually implemented. So keep in mind that when you suggest making a change, you need to be willing to follow through with it, if you see from the feedback received that it is something your customer base would welcome.
Another great way to spice up your social media content is with the use of "insider" information. Think about specials or deals that your customer base might enjoy but may not know about. Alternately, you could provide insider information specific to your business or industry. This is a strategy that Sammy's Woodfired Pizza, a brand based in San Diego, has managed to master quite well. It frequently utilizes social media to expand its audience by publishing coupons, sharing partner info, and promoting causes.
Related: What's the Pulse of Your Market?
Take advantage of memes to liven up your social media content. Images, particularly when combined with comedy, work well on a visually driven platform, such as social media. There are numerous tools available, including Google Plus and Meme Maker that will allow you to create your own meme. All you need is a photo and some creativity to get started.
Related: Your Company Shouldn't Need to Shout 'The Customer is King!'
Do not overlook mobile users. According to a report published by Business Insider, ad spend for social media this year is expected to surpass $8.5 billion. Furthermore, by 2018, two-thirds of the budget allotted for social media advertising will be directed to mobile. Openview Partners is a venture capital firm providing startup funding to technology companies. This is a company that obviously understands the importance of mobile. With the use of a service known as Google Newsstand, Openview is able to ensure that all of its social media contents are accessible to mobile readers.
Use your social media platform to give a shout-out to your customers. This is a great way to build your community as well as boost fan involvement and increase loyalty and retention. Sharpie is a brand that does this exceedingly well by sharing examples of customer artwork created with Sharpie products. While marketing permanent markers might sound boring, Sharpie also takes things a step further by highlighting case studies.
Regardless of the amount of time or money that you have to devote to social media marketing, keep in mind that social media is extremely visual. It is important to take full advantage of videos and photos. Also, do not miss the opportunity to showcase your clients and customers to increase engagement. Remember that mobile is growing rapidly. Make sure that all of your social media content is optimized for mobile readers so that you do not miss any opportunities to engage with users. Finally, provide your users with a reason to engage with your brand. This could be in the form of causes, coupons, or videos.
Related: The Shocking Truth: Customers Don't Want to Engage With Your Company
