Using Social Media Marketing to Build Your Brand

Tip #1: Choosing the best social media platform(s) to maximize reach

 While you can utilize all social media platforms to promote your brand, it might be a good idea to start with a couple.  Dip your feet in the water, get a feel for it, learn, and grow your brand with social media marketing on sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Facebook: With over a billion and a half users, Facebook is far and away the leading resource to get the word out and build your brand.  75% of adults in the U.S. use Facebook, and the ability to use words, pictures, videos, and other business-boosting tools makes this the premier platform to put your brand in the forefront of potential clients’ minds.

Twitter: Sure, this site limits you to 140 characters, and it can seem difficult to get your message out there with those shackles on—but finding a creative way to do it can be paramount to brand awareness.  Twitter boasts 320 million active users across the globe, so the reach potential is absolutely enormous.  Here, you can also use words, images, videos, as well as polls.  While you are limited in characters in this social media marketing tool, shorter content might actually be a great asset. Sometimes the theory of “less is more” can be applicable to Twitter. #buildyourbrand

Tip #2: Valuable and shareable content is key

 When you surf the web, read a magazine, or check out a newspaper article, odds are you’re reading it for you—because it’s what you’re interested in.  Do not make that mistake when publishing social media marketing content.  Yes, it’s about you in the sense you’re attempting to build your brand.  However, be very mindful of what your viewers will want to see and share with people in their networks.  Those are your customers, and the people in their network are as well.  Do you want sales to grow and business to expand?  Then be on the money when it comes to the content you create.  Sell your brand, yes, but do it in a way that will make your viewers excited.  The worst thing you can do is turn them off within seconds.  

The tree of sharing will fall quicker than you can say, “Timber!”  There simply has to be something of value to the viewer, otherwise they move on, potentially to a rival.  So let’s not let that happen. You can ensure this by providing content that is always relevant to your website.  This is not a personal entry, this is about business.  Make sure your content is supportive of your brand and its image.  Speaking of images, use them.  Content with images receives 94% more views.  And while it may have you cringing at even more numbers to deal with at first, it’s important to know what’s resonating with viewers.  So use analytics as a tool to measure if humor is working for you, or if a straightforward message is the way to go, for example.

Tip #3: Patience is a virtue.  Stick with it.  Maintain and manage social media accounts.

 When you use social media marketing to build your brand, it’s free advertising.  Free.  Now there’s a word that should entice you.  The only absolute investment you have to make is sticking with it.  Like building your brand and growing your business, this can take time.  But the more continual maintenance and management that go into your social media efforts, the greater reach, and ultimately the greater profits will become visible to you.  Research your demographics.  Find out how the most effective way your message can hit home.  Hone your skills at blogging.  There are plenty of social media marketing companies to be found.  If you need help, a simple Google search will enable you to find the one that works for you. 

It may feel like an arduous process for a while, but don’t surrender.  After all, 92% of marketers surveyed in the 2015 Social Media Marketing Industry Report said the use of social media to increase brand awareness was a vital tool for their businesses. Among those surveyed, 90% said social media promotion increases their exposure, and 69% agreed on its ability to develop a loyal fan base. Don’t let the competition blow past you.  Be at the forefront, and make sure your brand is in the forefront of potential clients’ minds.