The Power of Social Media – Part II
In the previous post in our in-depth look at the Power of Social Media, we covered the basic benefits of the digital marketing tool and took a look at the most common objectives companies may want to achieve. This week, we’re going to look at the power of social media in sales, B2B marketing and brand awareness. We’ll also glance at the different social media networks available and how they can impact on your business objectives.
Establishing your target audience
As well as taking your existing client base into account when trying to establish your audience, it’s important you consider communicating with experts and opinion leaders within your industry. This will help to give your brand credibility and help you to build your reputation. It’s also worth having a quick look at your competitors’ profiles to see who they’re connected to, as these people and companies may well form part of your target audience.
When growing your audience, remember that it’s quality, not quantity that counts. Don’t be disheartened if your legion of followers is slow to develop. It’s much better to have a smaller network of high-quality contacts than a large network of people not really interested in the products or services you’re offering.
Social media and sales
Though originally social media was primarily used for brand awareness and market research, it’s now becoming ever more important in sales. According to recent studies, 57% of the research that takes place during the buying process happens online before the customer even reaches out to the sales team. This can jump to 70% in complex sales. If you have plenty of information on your social media profile, have an extensive network and come across as a thought leader in your industry, customers will be far more likely to trust your brand and buy from your business.
Social media and B2B
Even if your business is primarily involved with B2B sales, you can’t afford to ignore social media. According to research, 54% of B2B social media users reported that they had acted after they’d seen a brand mentioned in a tweet. This makes social media an incredibly important B2B tool, especially for businesses who are growing their name, establishing their brand or trying to boost their sales.
Social media networks
In order to ensure you’re targeting the right people, and to give you the best chance of achieving your business goals, you need to make sure you select the right social media network for your needs. For example, if you want to target teenagers, Snapchat would be the perfect social media network for your needs. For B2B marketing Twitter and LinkedIn are ideal; while Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest all appeal to a range of ages and interests.
Whichever social media networks you choose, make sure you’re active within your network. The more you interact with your followers, the more ‘real’ your company will seem. This will boost your brand awareness, reputation and visibility – all things that will help to make your social media strategy a success.
Watch out for part III of our series on The Power of Social Media