Inbound Marketing Blog

The marketing industry has been anything but predictable this past year, which is saying something considering it is never very predictable to begin with. We've seen large fluctuations in social media presence from companies, organizations, and social media users alike. Plus, how social media is being used continues to change, even more so with the masses flocking to social media to fill the relationship void they've felt this year or to keep up with (or debate) news that the media is pumping out in ungodly amounts. Let's take a look at what that means for you as a marketer.

A lot is changing very rapidly in the social media landscape, as you've likely noticed. Because of "Stay at Home" or "Shelter in Place" orders, people across the world are increasingly online and that means that they are on social media more than ever before.

Unfortunately, gaining followers on social media sites just isn't what it used to be, and the landscape is constantly changing. So how do you win a game that seems so easy to lose? The answer is: strategy, budget, and social media savviness.

One of the most important things to remember about follower building is that there are two types: organic and paid. It used to be MUCH easier to get organic engagement from users, but now we need to work smarter.

Every Instagram Influencer knows that likes, comments, and shares are like a form of currency on Instagram. The more likes, comments, and shares they consistently generate, the more they are able to gain partnerships with brands and continue the cycle because they have high engagement. Why is this?

Okay, let's be honest, there are so many social media platforms out there that it can be incredibly difficult as a business to know where you should be spending your time and efforts. Heck, it's hard to know which ones to choose as a consumer. Ultimately, as a consumer, the decision usually comes down to which platform provides the most value or is the greatest source of entertainment. Knowing this, as a business, is so important. If you know consumers are looking for value and entertainment, provide those things (within what's appropriate for your industry) on the platforms they're frequenting. Unsure about what social media platforms they're frequenting these days? Well, that's why we've written this blog.

With a social media platform for every niche, just about everyone is on social media in some form or another these days. So, it makes sense that you would want your business to take advantage of these worldwide mass audiences, right? Sure, you could create a page on Facebook and cross your fingers. But that isn’t going to do you any favors if your target audience isn’t there. It’s all about knowing your buyer personas and honing in on your best prospects. (If you're not sure who your buyer personas are, you can use our Buyer Persona Worksheets to figure that out first!)

Let’s be honest, there are a myriad of tools floating around that can help you create some pretty amazing videos and graphics for your social media accounts. The caveat is that most are not free, and for a company or individual who is looking to create compelling videos and graphics without having to spend a lot of money doing so, this journey can be frustrating.

I've noticed an interesting trend in Facebook... more so in the last few months, but I think it's been growing for a number of years. Facebook (and most other social media platforms) has always been intended to bring like-minded people together; to bring friends together. It's been intended to allow people to continue to build relationships when they aren't in the same physical location.

Sometimes it feels as though the purpose of social media has become a place to tell everyone else they are wrong. It seems it's become a place that does a very good job of sowing the seeds of discontent. Because of this trend, I think it completely changes how we market.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that the more times you connect with your customers, the more likely they are to remember you and choose your company's product and/or services over a competitor.

In marketing, the official term is called ‘touches’ – an instance where your customers see or interact with your company. 

When it comes to customer delight [see the Four Actions of Inbound], 'touches' can go a long way. According to Stacy Willis on iMPACT, "When expectations are met, you have customer satisfaction. When expectations are exceeded, you achieve customer delight. How do you get there? By being human. Listen to your customer and their needs." 

Studies have shown that it takes at least 7 or more touches to generate a person’s interest. 

So, how do you make sure you interact with customers in an engaging way and often enough so that your company becomes memorable without you spending a fortune trying to do so?