As anyone who’s spent some time on the conference circuit will tell, social media is (somehow) still being treated as an exciting new trend, even though its obvious to anyone with hands-on experience social media is something that needs to be integrated into your digital marketing efforts rather than being allowed to exist within its own silo.
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In fact, it seems pretty likely that the term “social media marketing” will disappear in the not-too-distant future and people will once again refer only to “marketing” as a whole. Measuring the true return of social media can be quite daunting, but integrating social media with your other marketing campaigns is the easiest method if you want to measure the ROI of your campaigns.
Here’s a couple of tips on how you can use social media with your current marketing and business strategies.
1. Content marketing
Use Twitter with your traditional content marketing strategies. This includes your website and blog as well. Share your content on your favourite social media channels. If the content is interesting, the content can be shared and seen by more people. This is a great method to make sure your content is seen by more people and also the search engines.
2. Customer service
Servicing clients on the social web is a great way on establishing your business as a social business and build your community online. Let your current customers know that you have a service desk on the social web.
3. Brochures
On any business brochures you might have, add information to your social media profiles on the brochure so that interested people can connect with you.
4. Invitations
Invite people to connect with you on the social web to receive more information, coupons, discounts, access to additional services, etc. See how you can make a campaign out of this.
5. Recruitment
Social media is a great way you can use for recruitment purposes. Let users apply via social media or you can scan the applicants online by looking at their social media profiles. This can help you find the right person suitable for the right position. Do you really want to hire someone who’s only posting nude drunk photos online?
6. Trade shows
If you are running any trade shows, create a specific #hashtag relevant to the trade show to connect personally with attendees and to market the trade show.
7. Lead generation
Do some research online to find information on new clients and to find out who the key decision makers are. Connect with them via social media and start engaging with them. This is a great way to connect with industry leaders that can help you with lead generation.
8. Stay in contact with your customers
Social media is a great way you can stay connected with your customers. Use this to your advantage by connecting with your customers on their favourite social media channel to keep the relationship going.
Social media should never be seen as a standalone strategy because it should be an integral part of your business. At the end of the day it really comes down to how you are integrating social media within your business.
