It is one thing to have a brand presence online, but you need to know how to manage that brand and which platform/s to utilise, in order to speak to your target audience in a way that will attract their attention amongst the million other messages being sent their way.
It is not about reaching anyone and everyone but rather about reaching the right kind of people.
Social media has become the bridge between the brand and the consumer. Consumers are becoming more and more selective and are actively choosing the brands they want to connect and engage with.
This means that brands must deliver what they promise in order to properly captivate their audience. Build a lifestyle around your brand that consumers can relate to, and you will see an increase in engagement from them.
If you use your online platforms to just preach to your target market, then you will lose them instantly. Offer them relevant and engaging content. Whether it is through interesting articles, well thought out photographic content, competitions, or even the occasional relevant meme, you need to ensure you are constantly keeping their attention. After all, content is king.
One social media post a day won't be enough to engage with your fans, you need to be constantly on the ball and posting content on average 3 times a day across relevant platforms to cut through the clutter.
If a consumer comments on one of your platforms whether it be negative or positive, make sure to reply with the most accurate and well thought out response. Timely and relevant responses will make a large impression and make your brand much more memorable, ideally resulting in consumers spreading positive feedback to their followers resulting in stronger brand integrity and trust.
Retail clients often ask me: how do you drive sales through an online marketing campaign, and the best answer is, make it easy for your audience to find your brand. If you talk about your brand on Facebook or Twitter, make sure your consumer can connect to your website in one click.
When we evaluate online campaigns for clients we look at the relationship between reach and engagement.
Online marketing can be more measurable than above the line in terms of reach as you can track and monitor almost every analytic on your social media platforms, as well as your website.
You can also evaluate which content has engaged or interacted with consumers most effectively by seeing how many likes, comments, shares, tweets or re-tweets your content has received and use similar techniques to boost engagement.
At the end of the day, knowing your social media objectives is as important as the message you're sending out. Don't rush into it, a little planning goes a long way online.
