
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING: Marketing Considerations for Small Business
It’s clear that social media marketing has grown dramatically during the last few years and that with an increase of than 800 million active users, the amount of Facebook users is easily more than twice the size of the complete population of […]
It’s clear that social media marketing has grown dramatically during the last few years and that with an increase of than 800 million active users, the amount of Facebook users is easily more than twice the size of the complete population of the United States!
Its growth has been astronomical now, thousands of people are posting more personal and business information online than previously. It’s happening at lightning speed with thousands of posts, tweets and uploads occurring every hour.
Recent research conducted by the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) commissioned by Sensis Pty Ltd (May 2011, p. 10) indicates, that “62% of Australian Internet surfers use a variety of social media sites, with many visiting each day and most at least several times a week.” It’s no surprise that with the an incredible number of prospective customers from around the world using these sites, each day, that so many businesses are determined to include social media marketing into their marketing mix. Nonetheless it also important to get a knowledge of how these sites are increasingly being used and what’s involved in maintaining or resourcing your business presence on these sites. Your web footprint can stick around for a long period so don’t underestimate how this may affect the perception of one’s brand in the market place. Spend some time upfront thinking about whether social media is right for your business.
1. Seek first to comprehend – It is very important that you understand the fundamentals of how is social media marketing really works and how it’s being used. What are people and businesses doing with social media? What gets them results? A few of you may be thinking, how do I do this? Perhaps you could consider trying it out for yourself by setting up a personal account, then testing a number of the features, or get yourself a trusted friend showing you their account and guide you through. Alternatively you can find so many resources and ‘how to’ items online about social media, you could run a search on Google or on YouTube on a specific topic of interest watching the video tutorials to get informed.
2. Understand your purpose – What’s your purpose is for using social media? What do you hope to achieve for your business by using it? It’s really essential that you identify your purpose for getting involved in social media (or any marketing activity for example). You need to workout why you are engaging. What do you expect to achieve? Do you simply want to build brand awareness, engage with your visitors or identify new sales opportunities? Remember to be realistic about what you believe you will be able to attain.
3. If you decide to take part in social media, which sites are best for you personally? – With Luxury Travel Tip of social media sites available, which ones are best for your business? Consider where your target audience would socialize online, and think about the period of time and resources you’ll realistically be able to commit to maintaining and administering your website presence. Which ones are right for you? You might find that some certainly are a better fit than others.
4. Quality Content – In the event that you decide that social media marketing is right for the business, carefully consider the amount and quality of information you intend to share in the online sphere. Remember it will probably stay there for some time, so you need to make sure it accurate and reliable information that is valuable to your market. It has to be relevant, otherwise people will not read it.
Related Posts





