Social Media Guaranteed Strategies to Monetizing, Mastering, and Dominating Any Platform for Your Brand Facebook, Twitter,…

INTRODUCTION

With the advent of the internet, the speed of how fast information goes viral, the accessibility of people to the internet and not to mention the fact that 6 billion people own mobile phones, social media has become one of the most prominent, crucial and vital piece of tool in any business's marketing arsenal.

Used correctly, social media creates and immensely strong interpersonal connection between your company, your brand and your current and prospective customers. It can help elevate your business to your audience and clients in the most personal way to the most dramatic way.

To benefit from the wonderful realm of social media, a marketer needs to build a clear strategy taking into account the targets you want to achieve, the goals, who your customer base is and what your competitors are up to.

There are plenty of social media platforms out there, and all of it comes free, and all of it comes with easy registration- it doesn't take much nowadays except for including your email address and a relevant password.

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But with all the options available to you, which one is the right one for you?

Understanding the fundamentals of social media marketing is extremely important. Just because they are free and easy to register, does not mean you need to jump on the bandwagon of every available account out there.

In this book, you will learn the very basics of the most accepted social media platforms in the world. You will also read about case studies that have shaped businesses today, and you will also learn to create a social media marketing strategy, among other things.

Before we begin, a few fundamentals need to be put into place, so you understand what it is that social media entails. These fundamentals will help build a strong foundation in your social media marketing strategy which will serve to create a strong brand, relate to your customers and ultimately bring in the profits you are looking for.

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10 FUNDAMENTALS OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Listening to Your Audience

One of the most important foundations of any marketing strategy be it social media or conventional marketing techniques, is listening to your target market. How do you listen? Many social media platforms nowadays provide 'Insights' which give you statistics of where they are from, their interests, who they are, what do they identify with and so on. Once you have gathered these details, you can create content that is tailored to their interests and needs and spark conversations that lead to sales.

Focusing on specialized content

Too much of fluff from any brand and you'll end up having people unfollow you or unşubscribe. Specialized content is what you need here because it builds a strong brand. So instead of saying things like ‘a one-stop solution for printing,' craft your message with something like ‘exclusive purveyor of premium letterpress invitations and bespoke printing services.' Sounds classy, doesn't it?

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You want quality, not quantity

Sure having 10,000 followers is a big deal but what if only 1,000 of them read, share, like and talk about your content? When you craft quality content, you'll attract quality readership and followers to your accounts, and these connections will not disappear.

Patience is Virtue

When you open a social media account, be ready to commit to the long haul to achieve quality followers. Sure you can pay for sponsored content, but when you first start your accounts, having generic views, likes and followers will help you understand who your targeted audience is, what sites they frequently visits, what hashtags they use and what are their spending habits.

Work to Build

Building an audience online is essential, and you'd get free publicity! If they like what they read, they'll share it with their own audiences whether it's through their own social media accounts or blogs and website. Sharing and discussing content enables you to reach new entry points and give Google more ways to find you. For example, if you type in natural skin care, the least likely brand to pop would be Sephora, but there it is, among the top 10 Google searches. You'd have thought that maybe Aesop or Kiehl's or even Origins would make the list. The reason why Sephora is up there is because of the many entry points their customer base choose to associate the brand by their postings, comments and images.

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Social Media Influencers

Social Media Influencers, formerly known as bloggers are the people you want to associate your brand with. They already have the quality audiences, and they are most likely already interested in your product, business or service. Connect with them- don't shun them like what the Vogue editors did. Build relationships with your influencers- they will share your content to their followers, multiplying your reach and making your brand more down-to-earth and accessible.

Adding Value to your Conversation

If all you do is promote and promote your products and services, talk about your flash sales - people will stop listening. Part of social media marketing is also sharing, liking and being involved in topics related to your brand as well as jumping on the bandwagon of viral trends, political or social events that are happening in your country and in the world as well as corresponding to your audiences. You must add value to your online conversations and activities because this will develop relationships with your online audience.

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Acknowledging your audience

Building online relationships is one of the surest ways for online marketing success. Sure there is no point reaching out to every person that tags you or comments- you might just create a storm! But once in awhile, where valid (and really use your discretion on this) it is proper to response to your audience especially when they've asked questions or have constructive suggestions.

Be Accessible

Publishing your content on the first week of the month and then not posting up anything for the next three months will not do you any favors. To be relevant and accessible, you need to post up content at a good pace. Be consistent but do not over-share (this can also cause you to lose your fan base). If followers see too little or too much from you, they will not hesitate to unfollow you. It only takes one click.

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Create Reciprocity

In order to ensure your content is shared, you need to do the same for your influencers as well. A portion of the time you spend on social media should be given to sharing and talking about what other content that is being published on the world wide web, your influencers sites as well as your audiences.

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CHAPTER 1: SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING AND ITS

IMPACT IN 2016

Back in 2013, social media marketing was something that most businesses and brands associated as a 'passing fad.' While having websites was high on the list, being active on social media was still something new and not a priority.

But at the same time, some entrepreneurs already saw the potential of social media marketing and considered it as the ‘next big thing' and it must be taken advantage of, especially while it is still in the spotlight. However, to some, social media marketing didn't show any practical advantages it presented an unprofitable venture.

However, statistics from Hubspot showed a different kind of scenario. Two years ago, in 2014, 92º o of businesses claimed that social media marketing proved to be extremely vital for their brands whereas a whopping 80°o reported that social media. activity increased traffic to their business's website.

To some entrepreneurs, social media marketing is the "next big thing," a temporary yet powerful fad that must be taken advantage of while it's still in the spotlight. But to a small selection of entrepreneurs, social media does not pose any practical benefits and it comes with a complicated learning arc

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A poll conducted by Social Media Examiner in its sixth Social Media Markcting Industry Report showed that 97% of businesses participated in social media activities, but a total of 85% weren't exactly sure how best to use social media tools.

Not being sure of how to use social media is one thing but not using entirely thinking you can still do business the usual, old’fashioned way, is another thing.

The Impact of Online Reputation

Think about what you do before purchasing something in 2016? Do you go online and look for the company's website? Do you Google' them? The chances are that you do this. The phone book is obsolete-‘Googling’ information is what it's all about now, and companies need to maintain a good online reputation as it creates the biggest impact in consumers.

Driving Traffic with Social Media

August 2015 came about and Facebook announced that it had 1.44 billion active users. That means, according to founder Mark Zuckerberg that one in seven people use Facebook to connect with brands, friends, and family. Facebook alone has a vast target audience. With cach interaction and post on Facebook, there is a high potential of driving traffic to your site. This does not even include Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter yet. Developing and maintaining your social presence in 2016 will improve your relevance among the masses.

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Cost Efficiency

The cost of social media marketing campaigns is one of the reasons why it is extensively used. Most profiles are free, and engagement with customers has no other expense except time. It takes less than a minute to post, comment or link. What's more, pay-per-click ads can be structured to target a specific demographics in a particular location!

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