Social Media – A Better Way Of Marketing
Social media networks have been seen for a long time as those online places where you can connect with family and friends and see what they have been up to lately. However, the image of the hipster youngster liking friends’ on Facebook or twitting about the latest concert he has been to is not enough to describe what social media is all about. Nowadays, social media is a powerful tool that more and more businesses are interested in trying it more.
Web 2.0 advertising environment
Businesses can use social media to advertise their products. There are several ways in which they can make customers knowledgeable of their latest offers and deals:
- By creating a large database of potential clients, and sending them updates
- By getting followers on social media networks such as Twitter
- By starting a sponsored ad campaign like those on Facebook
Whatever the method, the Web 2.0 advertising environment can present a lot of advantages. Basically, as a business, you can identify the exact people that may be interested in purchasing your goods and services and advertise them only to them. However, basic common sense has already taught business owners that social media is not to be used in the same way as other advertising venues. Trying to sell hard, by pushing a product or a service, may end up annoying the potential customer. What you can do, though, is to change perspective and try to promote company awareness, rather than a specific product. If people are interested in what you are selling, they will come to you.
The big dos and don’ts of social media advertising
In case you are convinced that there is no better way of advertising your business than through social media networks, here are the big dos and don’ts you have to keep in mind:
Dos:
- Create a business blog
- Keep your followers up to date
- Create original content
- Put your logo and other company details in visible places
- Be open to suggestions
Don’ts:
- Don’t spam – people can get really annoyed with you
- Do not rehash content all the time from other sources
- Do not overload feeds and twits – they will just end up unread
- Do not push your products
Advantages of social media as an advertising environment
Many businesses rely on social media to run, and not without a reason. Here are the most important benefits social media can bring you:
- Exposure – word of mouth is the best way to get your business known to a large group of people
- Credibility – people that like you on Facebook, or follow you on Twitter, will contribute to making your business more credible for others
- Targeted traffic – your business blog is more likely to attract potential customers, as people that land on your website know exactly why they are there, and they are not accidental visitors
- Lowered costs – social media is a great advertising tool because it costs less money than traditional methods
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