The first social media platform was developed back in 1997. The intention behind it was to help people living far away connect with one another. The platform allowed you to set up a profile, create lists of connections, and chat with them. Soon after, the growing popularity of, and access to the internet helped cultivate the age of social media, with more and more platforms and applications being developed and released each day.
Gradually, social media apps and sites started amassing large audiences, with an increasing number of people setting up their accounts on these platforms and becoming active users. And as we all know, where there are people, there’s also a market to which you can sell your products and services. Marketers soon realized the potential social media had for serving as an advertisement tool and a market for their business, and this eventually led to the birth of social media marketing.
Recent figures show that around 58.4% of the population of the entire world uses social media. This translates to about 4.62 billion active social media users in the world. Knowing this, no other digital marketing agency in the world can provide your business as much exposure to consumers and investors as a good social media marketing strategy can.
This is why Philly Online Marketing – a leading digital marketing agency in Philadelphia, currently ranked as the 34th best agency in Philadelphia out of 115 considerations – recommends all Philadelphia business owners to employ a social media marketing strategy in their marketing campaigns. The agency also offers some of the best social media marketing Philadelphia services to help local business owners gain traction and grow their business and revenues.
This article will give you a detailed walkaround of social media marketing strategy and answer questions such as what is social media marketing and why it’s important for a business. So, keep reading!
What Is Social Media Marketing?
Strictly speaking, a social media marketing strategy entails the use of social media platforms and websites to advertise a business’s product or service to the online community of the respective social media platforms and websites. Most social media sites have integrated tools for analyzing data that allow businesses to track ad campaign performance, progress, and engagement.
Through social media marketing, businesses are able to communicate with a variety of stakeholders, including potential and present customers, potential and current workers, bloggers, journalists, the general public, and investors. Furthermore, a social media marketing strategy, on a strategic level, also includes campaign management, administration, scope definition, and the institution of a company’s intended social media tone and culture.
Social Media Marketing Philadelphia – Why Is It Important?
Social media websites revolve around the ideology of creating a virtual community allowing consumers to communicate their wants, needs, and preferences. Then, through social media marketing, these audiences and customers are connected to relevant businesses that can facilitate the requirements of these people.
Additionally, companies and businesses can communicate with individual consumers via social networking platforms. Consequently, social media followers and potential consumers may develop a sense of loyalty as a result of this intimate engagement.
Using dedicated tools and filters that are available on these platforms, you can also market your products and services to a highly specific target demographic based on age, gender, location, activity, likes, and dislikes, and so on. Social networking platforms can also provide a wealth of information about the items and services that potential customers may be interested in, allowing businesses to tailor their marketing campaigns accordingly, leading to better lead conversion rates.
Marketers can also detect indications of purchases or leads, such as inquiries posted online or posts shared by people using semantic analysis technology. Having this information at your disposal can help your marketers launch micro-targeted campaigns and the sales team target appropriate prospects.
Social Media Marketing Philadelphia – Benefits of Social Media Marketing for Your Business in Philadelphia
Increased Brand Awareness
Social media marketing is possibly the most cost-effective digital marketing tool for creating and sharing content which directly correlates to increased visibility, recognition, and exposure for your business. Since social media platforms collectively host the largest consumer audience in the world, they are perhaps the most vast and diverse consumer market you can appeal to, whatever your business niche may be.
With the power to engage with such an enormous number of consumers at one time, social media sites and apps have the potential to dramatically boost your brand awareness and bring about exponential growth in your business.
To fully exploit the marketing potential of social media, your strategy should be to aim for as many likes, shares, and comments on your content and posts. The more people interact with your content, the more social media platforms will find it valuable and will promote it.
Each post you share can potentially introduce a new network of people to your business, increasing the likelihood of you acquiring new customers. According to a survey, 91% of marketers using a social media marketing strategy reported that they observed a considerable increase in their business’s exposure.
Improved Brand Loyalty
Brand loyalty is one of the biggest leverages a business can have over its competitors. A loyal network of consumers means that you can always expect a fixed number of sales for your products and services even when your competitors’ offerings are seemingly better. Your loyal customers will also back you up on your new endeavors and promote your services and products, company news, and content serving as free advertisement for you.
However, when it comes to earning customer loyalty, it takes more than just good services or products. You need to make your customers feel heard and cared for as if their satisfaction is your topmost priority. One-to-one interaction and engagement are the key to achieving this. Chatting with consumers, replying to their comments, and asking for feedback are some ways you can use social media to build a personal relationship with your prospects and earn their loyalty.
Make them feel as if they’re talking to a friend and not a business representative. Studies show that the current market segment is 62% more loyal to businesses that partake in social media interactions with their potential customers.
Brand loyalty becomes even more important when you’re aiming for your local market. As such, social media marketing Philadelphia is one of the most crucial services a business owner in Philadelphia should consider investing in.
Gain Marketplace Insights
One of the most notable benefits of social media marketing is that it can serve as an excellent means of market research, keeping you informed about the thoughts, needs, and desires of your target audience as well as the current market trends.
Monitoring how consumers interact with your content and that of your competitors can give you insight on things your products or services might be missing. Listening to consumer feedback and reading through comments are some ways you can do this.
Additionally, using analytical tools, you can better research your consumer demographic, for instance, their age, location, etc. Having this information will allow you to improve your products and tailor them more to the needs and preferences of your target audience. This can give you an edge over your competitors by allowing you to design and offer superior products and services, thereby helping you improve your lead conversion rates.
Better Lead Conversion Rates
As discussed above, a social media marketing strategy allows you to target a highly specific and relevant audience segment via inbuilt tools and filters. This means that the leads generated by social media marketing will mostly be those who are already interested in the products or services you offer, and there will be fewer irrelevant leads. Having a larger number of relevant leads increases the likelihood of your leads converting into customers.
Studies suggest that the lead-to-close rate for a social media marketing strategy is almost double that of outbound marketing. Moreover, consumers who follow your business’s social profiles are likely to be more easily assured of the authenticity and trustworthiness of your business.
Social Media Examiner reports that by spending at least 6 hours each week on social media platforms, the lead generation noticeably improved for 66% of marketers. Introducing your business in a space where people are constantly sharing, talking, and reacting to posts can only assist your existing traffic convert into sales.
More Brand Authority
Brand loyalty and customer satisfaction are important factors in establishing an authoritative image for your business; however, it all eventually boils down to communication. When people see that your business is actively responding to doubts and queries customers have and is posting original content, it lends credibility to your brand. Interacting with consumers regularly shows that your company values customer happiness and is prepared to address their reservations.
Customers that are happy with any product or service are anxious to spread the word, and they usually use social media to convey their thoughts. Customers who tag your business on social media and provide good feedback for your services will promote your business and testify to your value and brand authority to new visitors.
All in all, a consistent social media presence helps your business appear valuable to its existing clientele and more authoritative to new leads. This personification of value and authority can help boost your lead conversion rates and help with customer acquisition and retention.
Helps Meet Collaborators and Investors
Social media sites and apps are not only great consumer marketplaces, but they are also excellent platforms to meet and connect with like-minded business owners and investors. As such, social media platforms can help you organize mutually beneficial collaborations and investment deals.
This can lead to greater exposure for your business, and the investments you can secure can help you upscale your business, expand your product line, or make any other changes you may have planned for your business.
Social Media Marketing Philadelphia – Tips for a Good Social Media Marketing Strategy
Be Active
One thing you should keep in mind is that you won’t be the only business marketing on social media. Instead, there will be thousands of other businesses competing for a share in this digital marketplace. As such, inconsistency in your social media presence can result in your business getting buried deep underneath the content posted and shared by your competitors.
In addition to being consistent, you should also be aware of which social platforms you should dedicate more time and effort to. For instance, platforms such as Instagram Stories and twitter warrant regular activity multiple times a day to fully utilize the potential of the platform. On the contrary, regular Instagram posts and Facebook updates can be posted less frequently.
Consider how each platform’s algorithm works and if the content is posted chronologically or filtered based on other factors when devising your posting strategy.
Know Your Audience
Your social media strategy will bear fruit only if your content appeals to your target demographic. To make sure this happens, use the inbuilt social media tools to research your viewer: what age they are, where they’re from, what other likes and dislikes they have, etc. This will help you tailor your content according to your audience to make it appealing and engaging for them.
Choose Your Platforms Wisely
While all social platforms host a large online audience, not all of them will be useful to you for marketing your business. In fact, investing your efforts on the wrong platforms means you’re wasting time and resources that could have been put to better use or dedicated to the platforms that produce results.
Preach Emotions and Feelings
Even while digital developments have made it easier to communicate, it is a touch of sentiment that we often lack. If your social media campaigns are filled with promotional jargon, they’ll likely fail in generating leads or keeping the audience engaged.
On the contrary, adding emotions and sentiment to your campaigns may reach out to consumers on a personal level compelling them to learn more about your business.
Social Media Marketing Philadelphia – Need Help?
Developing and executing a good social media marketing strategy requires experience and knowledge within the marketing domain. Philly Online Marketing is a professional digital marketing agency with years of field experience serving business owners in Philadelphia. Their team of seasoned marketers is qualified to deal with all types of marketing tactics, including social media marketing. To know more about their services and how they can help your business, click here!
