SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
WHY YOU NEED A PROFESSIONAL
Social media marketing has evolved quite a bit since its introduction in 1997, when Six Degrees was created and allowed users to create profiles with images and connect with friends. Since that time, social media has become a dominant force on the internet, our culture, the way we view and receive content, and marketing.
THE GROWTH OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
As social media has grown, so has its power in the world of digital marketing. That’s because social media has the power to deliver powerful messages in a seamless, entertaining fashion. After all, don’t we all get tired of viewing ad after ad and commercial after commercial? So, what’s the solution? Branded Content. Branded content involves seamlessly integrating a marketing message in to an entertaining platform. For example: if you ever watch American Idol or The Voice, you’ll notice they have segments with a “sponsor” integrated (like the Dunkin Donuts interview room on America’s Got Talent) to allow the show to continue while also allow a supporting sponsor to deliver a message. That’s branded content/entertainment!
HOW BRANDED CONTENT FITS IN
So, how does social media marketing work hand in hand with branded content? It provides the perfect platform because it allows businesses to educate, empower, and entertain their target market in a way that is subtle, yet effective. That’s exactly why branded content is gaining more momentum: it’s the one way to keep the attention of the viewer while still delivering a powerful marketing message.
With 77% of millennials making a purchase both online and in-store after viewing a product or service on Facebook, it’s vitally important for businesses like yours to capture the attention of viewers by educating them on the unique competitive advantages of your products/services, and what better platform than social media can do that? By 2021, online videos will make up 82% of consumer traffic.
WHY HIRE A SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PROFESSIONAL?
Now that we know how social media marketing and branded content can be used to maximize your overall marketing campaign, the next question is, “How do I create a successful social media marketing campaign that integrates effective branded content?”.
On the surface, it may seem as though social media marketing is as easy as uploading some images, throwing in some cool hashtags, and posting on your lunch break. Not exactly. A big mistake companies make with social media marketing is convincing themselves they can handle everything in-house. I’m not saying it can’t be done, but I suppose it’s much like trying to fix a broken engine when you only know how to change the oil: stick with what you know.
Hiring a social media marketing professional will help you with some highly important issues:
- Consistently posting at optimal times. A social media marketing professional will create a defined schedule based on your target market’s online behavior patterns.
- A social media marketing professional understands the inner workings of social media algorithms and practices. This is an invaluable resource for developing an effective campaign.
- Choosing the most powerful and effective hashtags for your market. This is much like uncovering the best keywords for search engine optimization: without the appropriate keywords/hashtags, your coverage and target market will compromised.
- Connecting with your followers. Social Media Marketing Managers know exactly how to build rapport with your followers. It takes time, consistency and patience, assets many business owners lack when it comes to social media marketing.
- Creating content. This is the big one. Imagine creating content for 3 -5 posts per day, 365 days per year. That’s extremely time consuming! A social media marketer will research your market and create content that speaks to your followers on a consistent basis. Unless you have 10-20 hours per week to dedicate to content creation, it would be best to hire a professional (not to mention the many other reasons listed above)
Nearly 90% of marketing professionals say that social marketing has dramatically increased exposure for their business.
Now you can see the importance that Social Media Marketing and Social Media Marketing Managers play in your overall Digital Marketing plan. It is a vital component that is growing in influence by the day. Hop on board now and ride the wave, or wait until later and miss the tide.
Empower your social media marketing campaign with our most trusted source Berke Marketing. Berke Marketing is the leader and top innovator in social media marketing. Give them a call today and tell them you read this article.
Written by: Scott Davis - Founder of ScottCanBrand
Berke Marketing