Social media marketing is revamping the standard “word of mouth”, not only can one consumer tell another about an experience whether positive or negative but it is able to be tracked. By tracking your brands image among consumers you can tailor posts, comments and affiliations to strengthen the reputation of your company. Unlike any other time in history within minutes you can rectify or combat a negative statement to not just one consumer but to a vast audience.
Benefits of Social Media
- Cost effective advertising
Creating and maintaining a social networking profile is extremely low cost compared to traditional advertising. Consumers respect organic information. By utilizing the platform from a user standpoint, a company can be transparent to audiences. By allowing other users to engage actively in a public online forum with you, you let the consumers see more aspects and dimensions of your company.
- Swiftness
By utilizing platforms that operate in real-time advertisers can engage during times when a topic is trending, not allowing for missed opportunities. Companies are also able to quickly respond to negative consumer experiences which strengthen the reputation to not only the one directly affected consumer but to others engaging with the company as well.
- Consumer preference
Consumers want a genuine experience that is tailored to how they enjoy interacting online. By reflecting on the available reports companies can shape the form of their message to fit their targeted consumer groups. Having varied message types (for ex. a Youtube video rather than a still picture and word post) for specific groups enhances the experience for your audience. You can not only choose where the message is being received from but in what form or multiple forms audiences are receiving it.
- Authentic Feedback
Through social media advertisers can engage in two-way communication about new products, services, etc. Instead of waiting for a set period to end and gathering research, they can partake in the ongoing conversation to shape and modify how they are reaching consumers.
The feedback that is also provided is authentic in that it can pulled from a shared link to a friend or comments where consumers are speaking to one another not to a business.
- Traceable traffic patterns
Social media sites maintain information about how and when an individual came to your page, post, picture or video. This will work hand in hand with your standard digital marketing to show that you are reaching your audiences and being able to direct them where you want.
It also lets you identify what interactions are directing your consumers to your online website letting you discreetly mould the consumers online experience.
- Track performance by event/communication
Not only do advertisers have the ability to maintain an ongoing presence of the general company, but are also able to track communications and feedback based off an individual event or distinct instance. By creating a page for an event, discussion on that event can be pulled to increase performance in other areas or future projects.
For example, being part of a community wide event you can create a page to reach consumers who are associating with that event rather than your company but align yourself with it both before and after it occurs.
- Demographic Information
At any time for no additional cost advertisers can see a breakdown of demographics to verify which consumers are being reached. This is presented in an easy to read format and available with no hassle. Even the smallest and busiest of companies can quickly see who they are reaching. This allows advertisers to shape and change messages to reach ideal consumers at any given moment rather than at a fixed point.
- Paid Advertisements
Boosting a company’s name and social media page are available with promoted posts on the largest social media sites currently. These allow you to expand your reach more quickly to a larger audience but also bring them back to your organic advertisements as well. These keep your name in front of audiences longer but are considerably lower in cost when compared to traditional media. They also are not necessary per say so if budgeting does not allow for them currently social media is not out of the running for ways to advertise.
- Brand/ Reputation Management
Through the many other beneficial aspects of social media discussed being combined, a brand can effectively manage their image in a real-time fashion. Being able to consume and respond to feedback, engage with customers about aligning interests and values is a template for effective brand management.
Please contact Media Venue at 502-855-4783 to receive the entire white paper on the benefits of social media.
