Responsive Design
Social Media Marketing
eCommerce
SEO
Security and
Maintenance
Hosting Services
Social Media Marketing
Do you remember the saying “If you build it, they will come” from the movie Field of Dreams? Well, that might have worked for a “baseball field in Iowa”, but it doesn’t work for the internet. In fact, you can have the most amazing, beautiful, informative website and yet get no traffic at all. It’s like printing business cards and then never passing them out.
Search engine optimization is a must, but the competition is brutal. It takes more than just building a site, throwing in some keywords, and sitting back waiting for business to roll in. Social media is a fast, easy, and inexpensive way to get customers. Savvy business owners need to know and use a variety of social media networks to “shake hands with the public” and stay informed about the latest interests and needs of consumers.
People shop and search for information at all hours of the day. Social media allows you to market while you sleep. You have a website, but it is not enough. Customers expect businesses to be active in social media. The fact is, people trust companies more when they have a social presence.
This means that if your competitors are active on social media and you are not, you will lose a significant share of your market.
The 7 Most Important Social Networks
Facebook is definitely the largest and most popular networking site on the web right now, with over 3 billion users. A Facebook business page is used to advertise products and services, inform your customer base of special deals, new products, events at your business, etc. You can also upload photos and videos to entertain or educate your customers.
Like Facebook, Twitter/X has become a top source for real-time news sharing. It is the simplest of all social media platforms, with messages limited to 140 characters and the added ability to share photos and links. Use Twitter to give a “shout out” to your friends and customers about a current special – “30% off to the next 5 people who come to my store”, “Just got a new shipment of Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Dolls!”, “Tonight is Taco Tuesday!”
Anyone who needs to make professional connections should be on LinkedIn. Known as the social network for your career, you can promote yourselves and your businesses, outline your education and work experience, and make connections with other professionals. Meeting customers, getting in touch with vendors, recruiting new employees, writing articles, and keeping up with the latest industry news.
Where does everyone go to watch or share video content online? It’s obviously YouTube. YouTube is owned by Google. Create your own “Channel” and post videos about your business and the products or services you offer.
Instagram is like a visual Twitter. It’s the ultimate social network for sharing real-time photos and short videos while on the go. If you have new products, a party at your store, or a busy night at your restaurant? Snap a photo or shoot a video and post it on Instagram. Let your potential customers know that your place is the place to be.
Pinterest is a giant, inspirational, virtual bulletin board. To use this for your business, collect inspirational photos that relate to your products or services. Are you a public speaker? Post inspirational sayings on posters. Own a coin store, a bakery, a massage business? Post photos that inspire people to seek your business out and connect with you.
If you are still having a hard time understanding what each of the Social Media platforms does for you, check out this clever illustration comparing the new way of conducting business with the past.
