A significant number of businesses have suffered – and continue to suffer – because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Marketers, on their part, are turning to social media with the aim of meeting two important goals. While they’re employing targeted marketing techniques to boost short-term return on investment (ROI), they’re also hoping to gain long-term loyalty by using innovative digital experiences.
Social media marketing continues to evolve rapidly, and keeping up with the changes is crucial if you hope to remain relevant in the online marketplace.
Making the Most of Social Commerce
Consider these numbers:
- 87% online shoppers feel social media helps them arrive at suitable shopping decisions.
- More than half of all social media users look for information about products and services through different social media platforms.
- Referrals through social media can work in influencing purchase decisions of over 70% users.
While social commerce has been around for a few years, changes in online shopping behavior over the last year coupled with the development of Instagram and Facebook shops as well as Pinterest catalogues has made this the year for social commerce. Businesses stand to benefit by increasing conversion without having to lead traffic to their websites.
Building Organic Relationships
Building trust with your customers is important. However, it’s not easy. Do you know that around 75% consumers don’t view truth in the advertisements they see? In addition, around 70% consumers believe opinions of other consumers, and more than 60% feel that customer ratings speak for themselves.
If you hope to make the social media cut going forward, it is imperative that you invest your resources in building great relationships with your customers, influencers, and employees. This will ensure that your brand’s key messages are consistently shared by voices that your customers value.
Targeting Baby Boomers
If your brand accounts for baby boomers as its target audience, relying solely on traditional print and TV ads will no longer do the trick. This is because there has been a significant increase in the number of boomers who discover new businesses and their offerings via social media. Boomers are also spending more time on social media platforms now because of the pandemic.
Turning to Live Streams
The pandemic has resulted in a noticeable rise in the use of live streaming features across different social networking platforms. For instance, Facebook and Instagram Live views doubled in Italy in just one week during March 2020.
As consumers get more used to interacting with brands from their homes, it is upon businesses to connect with them through this medium. You may offer live content for product launches, to announce collaborations, to offer behind-the-scenes views, for Q&A sessions, as well as for interviews.
Using User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) gives consumers the reassurance they need to make informed shopping decisions in a typically uplifting and relatable manner. Other ways in which UGC can help include:
- It gives your brand the opportunity to enter online spaces that your target audience uses the most.
- It gives your customers access to a great volume of relevant and useful content.
- It can build and strengthen your customer base.
Highlighting Your Brand’s Stand
There has been a growing focus on social, environmental, and social issues over the last few years. As a result, you may expect many social media conversations to revolve around matters about which your customers have strong opinions. According to one report, more than 55% of consumers have no respect for businesses that don’t take a stand on important issues. If your brand can manage to strike a chord with its target audience, benefits are bound to follow.
Conclusion
Making the most of what social media marketing has to offer in 2021 requires following a multi-pronged strategy. For instance, limiting your brand’s presence to just one social media platform is not the best idea. Two-way communication is vital in social media marketing, and you need to use a customer-first approach. Continuing to evolve is vital, which is why you might benefit by taking a look at what augmented and virtual reality have to offer from a marketing point-of-view.
Given how wide-ranging and intricate social media marketing has become, seeking professional assistance might be in your best interest.
