Can you believe we’re halfway through 2020? It has been a time of unprecedented disruption in the way we work, strategize and communicate. Businesses are turning to social media platforms now more than ever as a key part of their marketing strategy as more people are tuned in online. But during all of this uncertainty, how can your brand best implement a multi-pronged social media strategy to accurately target and convert your audience? These five steps will take both your paid and organic social media strategy to the next level and help your brand stand out.
Prioritize Platforms in Your Multi-Pronged Social Media Strategy
While it is great to have a vast social media presence, not all social media platforms will be the perfect fit for your target audiences. For example, companies selling products that rely heavily on branding and visuals might want to invest in Instagram. Services geared towards younger audiences might make a TikTok account, whereas companies with older audiences might create a Facebook page. Figure out which platforms best suit your needs and focus your time on those.
Allocate Budget to Paid Social Media
Businesses, institutions, and nonprofits often rely on in-person events to attract customers, engage prospective members or students, and build relationships with donors. However, many of these events have been canceled due to social distancing guidelines. As a result, organizations may be able to reallocate those budgets to other marketing channels, such as social media advertising. Investing in a paid social media campaign can be a more affordable option than producing an entire event. Plus, paid social media campaigns can produce high-quality business leads and expose new audiences to your organization.
Use Different Strategies for Different Audiences
This may seem obvious, but when implementing a multi-pronged digital marketing strategy, it’s important to consider which audiences are best suited for your content. Those who follow your Facebook page or Twitter account are already familiar with your brand. Because of this, explaining your core mission and services in every post isn’t necessary.
When targeting prospective audiences through paid social media campaigns, however, messaging should explain your organization’s mission more clearly. If you are using paid social media, your content should vary between audience demographic segments. It should also differ based on how audiences have interacted with your brand. For example, someone who has only visited your website needs different messaging than someone who has already submitted their contact information.
Encourage User Feedback and Participation
We all want a high level of engagement on our posts (likes, comments, shares, etc.), but what are some ways to achieve that? Many platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are rolling out interactive post options, including polls, quizzes, and question boxes. Use these tools to get a sense of the types of products or topics your followers are interested in or create a trivia series so they can learn more about your brand and purpose. Get creative – the options with these tools are endless!
Utilize Live Features
Webinars are a great way to generate leads, but they often require a larger time commitment on the part of the consumer. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube have all rolled out the ability to record live videos directly to the platform, which makes it easy for audiences to engage with your brand. Teams can create live videos quickly and repurpose them for paid social media campaigns. Choose topics that interest your audience and promote your live event beforehand to maximize viewership.
Don’t know where to start? Get in touch with our team to talk to us about your business challenges. Email our team at connect@thebelfortgroup.com.