Notwithstanding the arguably negative impact of social media on people today, according to the Daily Mail’s opinion, social networks are becoming more and more powerful. So are marketing opportunities for businesses. Business owners use social media sites as another channel to implement their branding and marketing strategies. If you think that it’s time for you to use this channel too, you will need to find out a few important things.
Simple Social Media Tips for Beginners
Let’s begin with the basics. What is social media marketing? Simply said, it’s all about using your company’s online profiles with marketing goals. There are many subtleties and tricks that help those goals be achieved, but they are all built on and around the fundamentals of social media business owners should know. Here they are.
#1 Search Is Your Everything
In order to gain followers’ attention, your must create an engaging media product. If you do want to use social media for business effectively, it will be wise for you to start with studying your audience and analyzing their interests, which could be easily done with a search option available on all platforms. When searching, ask yourself the following question: What lacks out there that could interest them?
You should aim at relevant groups – “travelers,” “dieticians,” or “vegans” – that make up your target audience. Find a catchy personality and scan his or her Facebook likes. Understanding what your potential customers are interested in will help you decide what kind of content they will love.
#2 Tools for Data Analysis Are Helpful
Not every piece of the content you publish will catch as much attention as you expected. To understand what your followers liked more, you can use data analysis tools. For example, Followerwonk, Buffer, ViralWoot, Quintly or BuzzSumo. Make it a habit to never post new content without having analyzed what you have already posted before. This way, you will be able to improve its quality and increase the number of views, likes, shares, sales, etc.
#3 Visual Data and Its Impact
Visual perception has always been dominant in a human’s mind. In case you don’t know, the better part of all the information is perceived through our eyes. So, why don’t you use this fact in your social media marketing strategy? Embed images, videos, infographic medias, and other visual elements in your posts, but make sure they all are relevant to the content and appealing to the eye.
Experiment with types of content you provide. Let’s imagine you have a text post in your blog – a stylistically wonderful, magnetic, and interesting set of sentences. But what if you deliver the message by means of pictures drawn with your hand? What about recording an audio track, possibly with some sound effects to create a more powerful impression? Why not make an e-book presenting your old posts under a new angle? Use your creativity to boost the interest of your audience.
#4 Planning Is Crucial
Every social platform is designed for different needs, which is why you must post different types of content on different platforms. To avoid confusion and repetition, you should have a plan, which may look like this:
• What are the channel’s name and function? (LinkedIn, business and employment)
• How will this channel be connected with other channels? (external links to other social platforms, share buttons)
• What are the structure and tone of posts? (informative how-to guide)
• Who is your target audience? (young people, women)
• What is the desired action of the customer? (signing up, visiting your official website through a link)
• What is the end goal? (sales, better customer experience)
• What is the predominant type of content? (logical infographics, emotion-provoking videos, aesthetic pictures)
Monitor the features of the more successful content, track down the trends in info expression, language structures, the tone used, etc. Following the suit of the booming material is the first step up the Everest of social media marketing. And your creativity based on the perfection of your analytical thinking is the next one.
#5 Regular Content Has Its Value
There is a number of useful tools, both free and not, that help you manage your posting schedule. Why do you need them? Because being regular matters. You shouldn’t make your audience wait for the next post – they just need to know when to expect some updates from you, and you will have them looking forward to that.
“Regular” also means “quite often.” Publishing new content once a week, even if it’s a long and quality piece of content, is not a good idea. You may feel you lack ideas for regular posts with substantial information. Yet, it doesn’t always have to be such important information as a buying guide to one of your products, which is written based on a thorough research you have been doing the whole day. Relax a bit. Free your creative mind and create whatever you can create for less than an hour. Small, entertaining, fun, and light content can prove to gain a good share of your audience’s attention.
#6 Offer Some Value for Free
Let’s follow the example of such companies as Primetimeessay.com. Being a professional academic writing service, they not only offer students to order custom papers but also give free access to an exclusive database of pre-written unique papers. This increases trust around their brand and makes the customers feel that they are respected and valued. So, when promoting your services through social media platforms, don’t neglect to offer something for free, be it some exclusive content, service, or product. Let everyone know about it on all your online profiles, and the results may impress you.
#7 To Hashtag or Not to Hashtag?
There’s a tendency popular among ordinary users of social media platforms today – hashtagging “just because” and “why not?”. You as a business owner shouldn’t follow it. It somewhat decreases the value of the info posted. Choose an exact and easy-to-remember set of symbols that will stick in the readers’ minds and be associated with your brand or a particular campaign. Even such a small thing can give a real boost to the attention around your product.
#8 Laconic and Precise Texts Win
Although you really need to inform the reader, social media posting is the very case when less is more. Search for Seth Godin’s blog (if you haven’t done that yet). How many sentences does he have in one paragraph? That’s an example of simple messages expressed in a short and clear manner. In the world of opinions and opinions about opinions, such an easy and captivating writing style works miracles. So, give the reader all the information you want but do it with respect to their time.
#9 SMM Works Better When Your Channels Are Resourceful
Try to put yourself in the shoes of your customers. What do you think about your company’s online profiles? If they don’t look resourceful for you, it’s the right time to turn them into a source of inspiration, education, delight, and entertainment for everyone who visits them.
Digital marketing is a tough challenge in terms of time and productivity. And here are a few more oldie but goldie rules to keep in mind. They are extremely simple but still effective:
1) Do you want to talk about that?
Digital marketing involves talking and communicating certain messages, but it also requires you to listen. Pay attention to the demands and expectations of your target audience, learn what is crucial for them, discuss if there is something they want to find out with your help.
2) You’re not a genius and don’t have to be
How many Leonardos/ Napoleons/Caesars did we have? Yes, only one unique genius per a terribly long period of time. The good news is that you don’t need to be a genius; all you need is to know your industry as an expert, and the content you publish will show your audience how professional you are.
3) Toil.
Whatever business you do, chances are very low that you simply wake up one morning to find that you’re successful. It’s a long road to success, and SMM is only a tiny (yet important) part of it. Analyzing your target audience and turning it into your fandom takes time. So, be patient, hold on, and don’t stop analyzing and improving your profiles.
4) Circles on water
A simple metaphor represents how social media works – if you influence one person, they may influence 10 who can influence 1000. Quality followers work for you and promote your business just like you; it’s a mysterious process, but it does work. Let this inspire you while you think of the material for your next post.
Please share your insight on this subject.
ABOUT THIS GUEST BLOGGER
Nu Leadership Revolution Blog 
Hello Brenda,
Thank you for sharing your insight and thoughts. I thought your post was well written and very informing. In your post, you stated that planning an end goal was a crucial part of using social media in marketing. In an article by the Huffington Post, Reesy Floyd-Thompson, founder of Create Good Marketing, states that social media end goals are wanted in the form of likes (or shares or favorites depending on the social media site) because they are visual sign of success, and customers will be more attracted to a product or service (Abed, 2017). As a person who has many social media accounts, I can attest to the fact that when a post has more likes, shares, or favorites, I tend to pay more attention. While likes and favorites shouldn’t be the only end goal for a marketer using social media, I do believe the visual aspects of likes on a post should be a goal all marketers strive for when using social media in their marketing strategies.
Reference:
Abed, R. (2017, August 31). Social Media Marketing Best Practices From 25 Experts Who Have Been There and Done That. Retrieved October 2, 2017, from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/interview-social-media-marketing-best-practices-from_us_59a44cece4b0d0ef9f1c15d5
Sam,
Thanks for starting the discussion and welcoming Ms. Coleman to our group!
Dr. Green
Sam,
I really enjoyed reading your post. I agree that, as with any campaign or project, it is so necessary to have a stated goal for the project to achieve. With a stated goal, forming your project becomes much simpler and more directional. I also agree that a post that seems more popular because of likes, shares, or views is much more attractive and appealing to users who scroll through a multitude of content. Personally, I find that it is more likely for me to click on a video or post that several others have. This essentially creates a snowball effect where a majority popularizes a post which then gains further popularity and continues to grow.
Again, excellent post Sam. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on some of the goals that social media marketers should have in order to create a successful post.
[WC 143]
Hello Brenda,
Thank you so much for sharing your suggestions and ideas on how to effectively market via social media. You brought up the point that it is necessary to produce regular content to maintain and satisfy your customer base. Jayson DeMers, founder and CEO of AudienceBloom, a Seattle content marketing firm, stated in one of his articles that, “Every post you make on a social media platform is an opportunity for customers to convert,” and that “every positive interaction increases the likelihood of an eventual conversion” (DeMers 2014). Not every marketing advertisement released is going to guarantee new customers and new sales, but with every positive attempt, you gradually increase the market’s awareness and recognition of your brand to eventually attract some to your product. Providing a regular stream of content that is both engaging and appealing is a critical factor for successful social media marketing.
[WC 147]
Reference
DeMers, J. (2014, August 11). The Top 10 Benefits Of Social Media Marketing. Retrieved October 02, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/08/11/the-top-10-benefits-of-social-media-marketing/#76140ee51f8
Ms. Coleman,
Thank you for your insight! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post. Companies’ social media platforms are a powerful tool in marketing their businesses and providing them with the opportunity to expand their efforts to new customers. A company’s online presence can be a key role in its future expansion. However, it can also hinder its outreach if not used adequately. Basic Marketing refers to social media platforms by stating, “These tools allow firms to communicate with customers in an informal, open, and honest manner that promotes trust in a way that advertising can’t” (Perreault, Jr., Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014). This is why social media marketing is so important.
I found it intriguing how you suggested to keep posts simple by using a laconic writing style. In today’s time, the simpler the better. People are not going to take the time to sit down and read a long post or analyze what it is trying to convey. Instead, writers should create posts that say what they mean directly. In his Effective Writing Matrix, Dr. Green’s first point is to be clear and concise (2013). This sufficiently demonstrates the prominence of simple, clear writing.
Thanks again for your input!
[WC – 197]
References
Green, D. D. (2013). Writing for Professionals. CreateSpace.
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Hi Libby!
I loved your point of view on this topic! I completely agreed with you when you stated, “A company’s online presence can be a key role in its future expansion.” I think Kym Nicholas said it best on the importance of social media, “You haven’t bought into the social media craze? Guess what? Silence is no longer an option. People are online talking about your company as you read this, whether you like or not. If you don’t engage in the conversation, you risk losing your customers.” (McNicholas, 2011)
I also thought it was great how you emphasized the importance of clear, concise writing. It does not need to be complicated. In fact, ideas that are short and to the point stand out to me!
Keep up the great work!
Matti Runion
WC: 134
References:
McNicholas, K. (2012, May 11). How To Use Social Media To Promote Your Small Business. Retrieved October 04, 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kymmcnicholas/2011/09/19/how-to-use-social-media-to promote-your-small-business/#2b318d283c50
Libby,
I agree when you stated, “Social media is an extremely useful platform when it comes to marketing for businesses. Companies have the opportunity to reach so many more potential customers and can spread the word concerning their products and services rather rapidly.” I believe social media is now becoming the new standard to advertise to people and to reach to people they may not have had access to before social media. Social media has allowed so many things to spread rapidly and share to others and that’s why I think advertising on social media gets more results. Lou Shanshan stated, “Compared to surveys of post exposure effect, social media data provides more direct information about consumers and their be- haviors without asking them to recall past activities” (Shanshan, 2017). Social media has also allowed companies to get more feedback on their customers or potential customers. I think social media is the best route for advertisement.
References
Shanshan, L. (2017). Applying Data Analytics to Social Media Advertising: A Twitter Advertising Campaign Case Study. Journal Of Advertising Education, 21(1), 26-32.
(WC-180)
Hi Libby!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts over Brenda’s wonderful article regarding social media marketing strategies! I noticed where you used “These tools allow firms to communicate with customers in an informal, open, and honest manner that promotes trust in a way that advertising can’t” (Perreault, Jr., Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014). This quote really is very modern to me because in today’s world a lot of things are becoming less formal and if that makes the customer feel better then eventually everyone will be doing the same!
Reference:
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
(WC-131)
Hello Ms. Coleman,
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. I really enjoyed learning about your ways to market products on social media more efficiently. I really was intrigued by the fact that you said it is best to keep posts short but in a very drawing writing style. This way the person is not overwhelmed when scrolling down the page and seeing your book written below your post. I think this also helps people not get annoyed when you are posting frequently. Like you said it is beneficial to keep posting new content to let the customers know what all is going on. I think marketing on social media is very important because I have personally seen the effects of it in my own life. I will be scrolling on Facebook and come across an ad and right away I will go visit their website and shop around. Jayson DeMers, writes in his article about social media marketing that “your social media networks are just new channels for your brand’s voice and content” (DeMers 2015). Socail media platforms are really the new age of marketing and it is so beneficial for all companies to get on board and use them.
[WC – 193]
References:
DeMers, J. (2015, September 20). The Top 10 Benefits Of Social Media Marketing. Retrieved October 03, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/08/11/the-top-10-benefits-of-social-media-marketing/#c9773801f80d
Dear Mr. Parker,
Thank you for your reply. I enjoyed reading your thoughts and insight. In your reply, you stated, “I will be scrolling on Facebook and come across an ad and right away I will go visit their website and shop around.” I would like to ask you if advertisements that are on social media sites are more appealing if they have more likes, favorites, or shares? Reesy Floyd-Thompson, founder of Create Good Marketing, states that an end goal marketers should have is to receive as many likes as possible on an ad (Abed, 2017). She says this is because it is more appealing to customers or potential customers. Is this true for you as well? Thanks again for your feedback, and I look forward to more feedback from you.
Sincerely,
Samuel Smith
Reference:
Abed, R. (2017, August 31). Social Media Marketing Best Practices From 25 Experts Who Have Been There and Done That. Retrieved October 2, 2017, from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/interview-social-media-marketing-best-practices-from_us_59a44cece4b0d0ef9f1c15d5
[WC- 134]
Hello Mr. Parker,
Thank you for posting such an interesting comment, I really enjoyed reading what you had to say. You mentioned how it is important to keep posts short and to the point so that viewers will not be turned off by the large amount of reading just to know what you are promoting, I could not agree more. Whenever I am scrolling if I see a post, especially from someone I do not know, with a very long caption I will more often than not, just skip over it. “Remember that most people scroll through their Instagram feeds at a brisk pace. If there’s any doubt as to how long your caption should be, keep it brief. Give context where you need to, but if the post speaks for itself, let it.” (Aynsley, 2017) Mr. Aynsley also points out the importance of good caption.
References:
Aynsley, M. (2017, October 02). How to Write The Best Instagram Captions: Ideas, Tips, and Strategy. Retrieved October 05, 2017, from https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-captions-drive-engagement/
[WC – 170]
Hello Mr. Shane Black,
Thank you for your response and such a well-crafted and interesting response. You pointed out how critical it is to keep a response short and concise and this is so true. In this day and age everybody is always focused on getting to the next destination, with this being said nobody has time to sit down and read a long post on social media. For me personally if I am scrolling through twitter and see that somebody posts a picture of their notes with a long paragraph on it, I typically go head and keep scrolling. What Mr. Aynsley states “give content where you need to, but if the post speaks for itself, let it,” (2017) is very powerful because some people feel the need to add a long description to their post when in actuality if they post a picture it speaks for itself.
References
Aynsley, M. (2017, October 02). How to Write The Best Instagram Captions: Ideas, Tips, and Strategy. Retrieved October 05, 2017, from https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-captions-drive-engagement/
[WC-173]
Nick,
Thank you for your input. You summed it up perfectly by stating. “[Social] media platforms are really the new age of marketing.” According to Lanham, “Nearly two-thirds of American adults use social media” (2016). Social media is an extremely useful platform when it comes to marketing for businesses. Companies have the opportunity to reach so many more potential customers and can spread the word concerning their products and services rather rapidly. It is an affordable, quick way to advertise to a multitude of people.
I really liked how you used a personal example of how social media marketing has influenced you. This proves the effects of social media marketing. When referring to social media platforms, Basic Marketing states, “Social network websites are another publicity tool for interactive communication” (Perreault, Jr., Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014). Social media marketing allows companies to open up conversations with loyal customers as well as potential clients to spread the word about their business efforts.
[WC – 159]
References
Lanham, K. (2016, August). The Land Mines of Social Media Marketing. Mortgage Banking, 58-63. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.okbu.edu:2092/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=57038d3a-87bc-4c55-aa1e-92967e27d3bd%40sessionmgr4009
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Ms. Coleman,
Thank you so much for sharing your insight on social media marketing. Reading your post was something that I genuinely enjoyed. The many different ways that companies can utilize social media marketing are phenomenal. I enjoyed your tips in what could help a business in using social media marketing the proper way to become successful. The tip that I connected with most was tip number six. How you said for companies to “offer some value for free” was great. I think if companies do this, then they’re more likely to gain business from people who are weary and mindful of where they spend their money. They can see what the basics are of the company and are more persuaded into purchasing into the company’s product. With each of these tips, I think Basic Marketing said it best with, “These tools allow firms to communicate with customers in an informal, open, and honest manner that promotes trust in a way that advertising can’t” (Perreault, Jr., Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014).
Wc-190
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Hello Brenda,
Thank you for sharing your viewpoint and thoughts. You mentioned that the number 1 social media tip is “Search is Your Everything.” That is extremely true! Research is critical, it can make or break your social media career. For instance, if you were to go on Twitter and post some senseless things about a trending topic… chances are, you will get terrorized by other twitter users. That is why it is important to get your facts first. I also love how you emphasized “Visual Data and Its Impact,” because almost every single popular post that I see on any social media outlet has some type of visual.
[WC-107]
Reference
https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-tips/
Hello Brenda Coleman,
Thank you very much for the valuable information you shared. I enjoyed reading this blog. I agree with you in all aspects, I learned a lot from this. I feel like it is perfect beginner to use these tips, and you described it in an easy and straight forward way. In my marketing class we have been learning the importance of a target market and how it is ideal for a business to be successful, which you described well. This goes hand in hand with segmentation, because if you use segmentation then it would be the most profitable, “the market your research shows to target should represent a high share of potential profitability to the company” (Perreault, 2014). There were many things that I learned, like the tools for data analysis, and how planning is crucial. The hashtag is very true and it is good that it has been stated because many believe the opposite of it.
[W.C. 160]
References:
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Hello Brenda,
Thank for contributing to Dr. Green’s blog and giving us some new insight on social media marketing strategies. I thought that the eight simple points that you gave on social media for beginners were easy to understand and very practical in their potential use. Point number two that you gave about how tools for data analysis are helpful, is one of the most important aspects of social media marketing. Many people do not understand that “not every piece of the content you publish will catch as much attention as you expected,” and they keep on making the same mistakes (Coleman). The key to social media marketing depends on the number of views that you are getting on your pages or post, and if you have no way of knowing that information you are just shooting in the dark. You must be able to see what kind of traction you are getting, and make changes if what you are doing is not working.
Reference
Coleman, B. (2017, October 03). Social Media Marketing Strategies by Guest Blogger Brenda Coleman. Retrieved October 04, 2017, from https://nuleadership.com/2017/10/02/social-media-marketing-strategies-by-guest-blogger-brenda-coleman/
[WC-164}
I agree with this, Joshua. I do also think it is incredibly important for us to understand that not everything we create is going to be crazy successful and that it is really important for us to be able to adapt to any situation and work it for the better. Knowing how to acquire that information and be able to adapt to it is one of the most important things in marketing in today’s market that is ruled by the online world. If it is not “getting enough traction” as you stated, we need to be able to know that it’s happening and adapt, change, and overcome accordingly. It also helps to know that information to know if we are doing something right we know when it is done right, so we can continue to use what is working and use it for as long as it’s useful. Thank you for your insight on this post.
(WC: 156)
Dear Mr. Redmond,
Thank you for your thoughtful response to Brenda’s blog. I enjoyed reading and absolutely agreed with everything you stated. You mentioned how important you felt tools for data analysis were, I agree with you 100%. Twitter recently updated their app, allowing users to look further into the analytical data of their tweets. By clicking “Tweet activity” under one’s own tweet, they are able to view how many times people saw the tweet and also how many times people interacted with their tweet. This new feature is a game-changer for companies, they are able to see which tweets are getting the most engagement from other twitter users and followers. Thank you for your wonderful insight on the blog, I look forward to reading more from you Joshua.
Sincerely,
Jason Lee
[WC-126]
Hello Brenda Coleman, thank you so much for spending your time on this wealth of information for us to take part of and learn from. I agree with a lot about what you said about social media and how large an impact it can have on a business. I especially like the part about how important visuals are being a graphic design major and wanting to possibly work in advertising. Our brains process images much faster than anything else we come in contact with (Gabriel Creiman, PhD) and this can be used to such a great affect. It is imperative nowadays when everybody is living such incredibly fast paced lives for something to be created that will catch people’s eyes and hold their attention, and social media is an excellent platform to use for that purpose.
Sources:
Creiman, G., PhD. (n.d.). Human Brain Can Recognize Objects Much Faster Than Some Have Thought. Retrieved October 04, 2017, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090429132231.htm
(WC: 136)
Hello Ash,
Your comment was spot on! I agree completely, the majority of society is made up of visual learners. Pearson Education states that “65 percent of the population consists of visual learners” (Vakos, 2017) This shows us that a good image goes a long way in conveying a message to people. 65 percent of people will prefer an image. Businesses have learned to capitalize on this aspect which is why we see so many visuals included in business’s ads and promotions. However, companies need to be careful to make sure that the images they convey are consistent with the companies current brand. This is key for a company to make sure they stay consistent with everything they do.
References:
Why the Blank Stare? Strategies for Visual Learners. (n.d.). Retrieved October 07, 2017, from http://www.phschool.com/eteach/social_studies/2003_05/essay.html
[WC – 119]
Hello Brenda!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wisdom over good social media marketing strategies. Your ideas were very intriguing to me. One of your points that truly stood out to me was the idea about visual data and its impact. Visual perception has always been dominant in a human’s mind. In case you don’t know, the better part of all the information is perceived through our eyes. (Coleman, 2017). In my personal life I have always found it easier and more appealing when there are visual things for me to learn. Finally, in marketing the more appealing your visual artifact is the more people may get drawn into your product or service.
Reference:
Coleman, /. (2017, October 02). Social Media Marketing Strategies by Guest Blogger Brenda Coleman. Retrieved October 04, 2017, from https://nuleadership.com/2017/10/02/social-media-marketing-strategies-by-guest-blogger-brenda-coleman/
[WC-136]
Hello Logan,
I really liked your points and personal opinion on the art of learning through visual data. I have always found it very interesting how the human brain works and how everyone’s perceives things differently. I enjoyed what you said about how important it is to utilize visual data because many people are visual learners. In my particular case I learn best by doing but I like learning visually as well. I also think that when someone has a visual artifact or is using one to market their product it makes me more drawn to that product. “These tools allow firms to communicate with customers in an informal, open, and honest manner that promotes trust in a way that advertising can’t” (Perreault, Jr., Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014). Using visuals in marketing is the best way to draw in the human eye and intrigue people to look at your product.
[WC – 150]
References:
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Hello Ms. Coleman!
Thank you so much for sharing your social media marketing strategies! I like how you pointed out that there are some negative impacts of social media, but also acknowledged that social media is so useful for marketing and communications. I think Kym Nicholas said it best on the importance of social media, “You haven’t bought into the social media craze? Guess what? Silence is no longer an option. People are online talking about your company as you read this, whether you like or not. If you don’t engage in the conversation, you risk losing your customers.” (McNicholas, 2011)
All of the steps that are listed are so important and crucial to growing your business. With my personality, I love to plan and organize, so step #4, planning is crucial, was the most interesting to me! I especially liked when you stated that you must have an end goal. You must pick an end goal, whether it is an increase in sales or better customer service, and do everything you can to make that goal a reality. I really enjoyed this article!
Thank you again!
Matti Runion
WC: 189
References:
McNicholas, K. (2012, May 11). How To Use Social Media To Promote Your Small Business. Retrieved October 04, 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kymmcnicholas/2011/09/19/how-to-use-social-media-to promote-your-small-business/#2b318d283c50
Ms. Coleman,
Thank you for sharing such valuable insight and contributing to Dr. Green’s blog. Your post was very well-written and provided fundamental points on how to be successful using social media platforms for marketing.
The second and third points you presented are ones that stood out to me the most. When a company is marketing via social media, it has to be able to run data analysis in order to determine how they are doing activity wise. This helps them recognize when they are doing poorly and should rethink their approach.
Visuals also play a huge role in being successful online. When a marketing team uses visuals that point to their product/business, it proves to be more effective than not (2014). People often are drawn through visuals more than anything else. This third point is vital to know how to connect with customers and understanding what captures customers’ attention online.
In today’s world, people are exponentially moving to online shopping because of convenience, therefore, companies need to continue to research and develop strategies that make their presence online known.
Thanks again!
[WC – 182]
References
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Hi Josh!
I also thought that her second and third points were really interesting and important. I especially liked her point about using visuals. Being a visual learned I need something catchy to catch my eye for me to be intrigued. I think that using visuals of the product or how it works is so much more useful than just simply trying to explain it in a lengthy paragraph. So often we’re just kind of aimlessly scrolling because we’re bored but if something looks cool or pops out to us we’ll often stop or scroll back up to it. “A product isn’t much good to a customer if it isn’t available when and where it’s wanted” (Perreault, Jr., Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014). Research is needed to know where to put an ad and how to present it in order to make the most money.
WC- 143
References:
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Hello Ms. Coleman, I thought your article was very informative, intriguing, and practical. By setting up your blog in numbered points with a descriptive heading, I found it very easy to follow and retain the information that I read. The topics and subjects that you discussed were spot on with what I’m learning in my classes. I really liked “#4 Crucial planning.” In my Advertising class, my Professor explained that you may have a broad audience but you’ll still have a different way to advertise to each group. Not only should you understand a specific target but the media that you will use to reach them. “Mass selling may involve a wide variety of media, ranging from newspapers and billboards, to the internet”(Perreault, Jr., Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014).You talked about how while it’s all social media, each platform needs to be executed in a different way. Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to give us the opportunity to learn from you.
{WC 165}
References:
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.).
Hello Ms. Coleman,
Thank you so much for sharing all your insight and thoughts in this post. Your post was very informative. In your post you stated that, companies should offer some value for free. You said by doing this, their customers will feel respected and valued, and I could not agree more. I know from personal experience, that I love freebies. When a company offers something for free, I am more enticed to use that company for whatever I may need in the future. Martha C. White, writer for TIME.com says, “On the surface, freebies look like obvious money losers. But when handled wisely, giveaways are all but guaranteed to boost sales” (White 2013). Creating a good relationship with customers can only help your business, and there is no way to make a customer more satisfied than when they get something for free!
Thanks again for sharing your insight!
References:
White, M. C. (2013, June 24). 5 Ways Companies Win by Giving Stuff Away. Retrieved October 04, 2017, from http://business.time.com/2013/06/24/5-ways-companies-win-by-giving-stuff-away/
[WC: 172]
Mason,
I loved reading your comments to Ms. Coleman! I thought they were very relatable especially when it came to the part about the freebies. The book says, “One way to generate customer demand is to give your product away” (Perreault, Jr., Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014). I know I can speak from personal experience with giveaways and offers that I like free stuff just as much as anyone else. I once applied to be an ambassador for the company Johnnie O and was given over 500 dollars of free stuff! Needless to say I was jumping for joy. But the free stuff lead me to purchase many items from them throughout the course of the next year. I think you are right on target when you said giveaways are almost guaranteed to boost sales. I thought your post was well written and had great personal insight.
Reference:
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
[WC 146]
Ms. Coleman,
Thank you for this article as it relates to many of the topics we are discussing in class. One of the points that really caught my attention was the fourth one “Planning is Crucial.” Many people believe that with social media marketing you can be spontaneous. While that may be the case every once in a while, you must be able to strategically plan your campaign months in advance. One way you can better prepare is by automating your posts. This way, “you can ensure that important topic areas for your brand are addressed in your content” (Kulkarni, 2017). This way you not only take full advantage of your planned campaign, but you are also prepared to respond and adapt quickly to new trends. Once again, thank you for your insight and addressing so many different points.
[WC-139]
Reference:
Kulkarni, C. (2017, September 29). How Franchisees Can Build an Effective Social Media Marketing Strategy. Retrieved October 04, 2017, from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/298216
Martin,
Your response was spot on! It is pivotal to companies who use social media apps to formulate a plan that best gets their brand out to the public eye. Your comment about automating your posts is genius and will most certainly benefit a company in only a positive aspect. I agree that this is extremely necessary and, most importantly, intelligent for a company’s brand. Taking advantage of time is a key in building a brand’s clientele. It also betters the target market that a business is interested in focusing on. According to Professor Gonxhe Beqiri at the European University of Tirana Social, “media marketing compared to traditional marketing, represents a new level of challenge for marketers.” These challenges help these marketers become smarter and help them gain newer knowledge of today’s social media lifestyle. A key to facing these challenges in most certainly constructing some sort of plan or strategy to get the job done.
Great response!
JoziRose Mayfield
[WC 158]
References:
Beqiri, G. (2015). Marketers and social media marketing. Proceedings Of The Multidisciplinary Academic Conference, 91-98.
I enjoyed reading what Brenda Coleman has to say in regards to social media. This is a massive controversial topic in today’s time for it is consuming a large part of communication throughout the world. More and more social media conversations take place versus face-to-face conversations in our daily lives. Yet, it is quite true that because of social media platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, etc., a larger portion of information is reaching higher views or receiving more feedback due to the swiftness social media entails. According to Professor Gonxhe Beqiri at the European University of Tirana Social, “media marketing compared to traditional marketing, represents a new level of challenge for marketers.” By embracing a new tactic of marketing, using social media platforms, marketers are faced with new information on how to strategies their product. They must create an image that attracts the buyers to their specific brand, which if the brand succeeds, will help expand the face of their company.
[WC 161]
References:
Beqiri, G. (2015). Marketers and social media marketing. Proceedings Of The Multidisciplinary Academic Conference, 91-98.
Hi, JoziRose!
Nicely done on your comment. What you said about the “swiftness” of social media is unequivocal. This is a new challenge for marketers that will greatly determine their success in dealing with potential customers. In Mahesh and Amulya’s article, they write, “Increased communication for organizations fosters brand awareness and often, improved customer service” (2013). They go on to say that social media also provides companies with an inexpensive way to perform their marketing goals (2013). Essentially, the value of social media platforms and the increased communication capabilities present companies with opportunities that they have never had before. That being said, it is crucial for companies to take advantage of these opportunities and establish strategies that keep them ahead of their competitors. And yes, they must create an image that draws customers’ attention that helps lead them to their company. Branding is pivotal in today’s world.
Again, nicely done!
[WC – 150]
References
MAHESH, L., & AMULYA, M. (2013). SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING: AN IMPORTANT PHASE IN MODERN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT. CLEAR International Journal Of Research In Commerce & Management, 4(3), 162-164.
Ms. Coleman,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the topic. I found your opinions very interesting. I do agree when you stated, “A company’s online presence can be a key role in its future expansion.” I really believe that this world is turning to all online buying and that’s why some business are going out of business because they are not willing to change. I also agree with having a online presence, that you need to be clear and concise with your words. The more you keep stuff simple, but interesting to keep people from leaving your online website. Basic Marketing states, “Buyers like to read targeted white papers (reports designed to help them make decisions about a particular topic)” (2017). People like you said like visuals and I think it is important to have visuals to help people decide on a particular topic.
References
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
(WC-167)
Rhett,
Good job pointing out the necessity of company development in the ever-changing world. As you stated, the world is shifting towards online buying and, while that change might never be 100%, most firms will not survive unless they can accommodate. One specific aspect you mentioned is image-creation, which is sometimes an over-looked skillset in the world of marketing. Marketers in a world of online images need to either have great skills in image editing and graphic design or have someone in their employment that does. There’s a reason why graphic design tools are listed among some of the top tools a marketer can possess (Jennifer Burke)!
[WC – 107]
References:
Burke, J. E. (2017). Top MARKETING TOOLS to know. Computers In Libraries, 37(7), 28-31.
Rhetthaniel,
Nice Job pointing out the essential of company development in the ever-changing world. As you stated, the world is shifting towards online buying and, while that change might never be fully accurate, most firms will not survive unless they can accommodate. One specific aspect you mentioned is the creation of the images, which is sometimes an over-shadowed skill set in the marketing world. Marketers in a world of online images need to either have great skills in image editing and graphic design or have someone in their employment that does. There’s a reason why graphic design tools are listed among some of the top tools a marketer can possess (Jennifer Burke)!
[WC – 107]
References:
Burke, J. E. (2017). Top MARKETING TOOLS to know. Computers In Libraries, 37(7), 28-31.
Ms. Coleman,
Thank you for your contribution to this blogsite! I appreciate your vision for social media marketing – particularly your focus on the direct relationship between the marketer (or firm) and the individual on any particular social media platform. Working partly from your fourth tip on successful social media marketing (especially considering the platform and the target market), I might add an introductory tip for a potential marketer. Evert Gummerson suggests that product placement (along with the other of the four p’s) is taking a supporting or structural role in marketing mixes (pp. 312) which might suggest that correct placement of product is becoming an assumed part of the successful marketing strategy. With this, I would recommend that anyone attempting internet marketing deeply considers where it is their target audience is on the internet. While marketing on every social media site is possible, it seems that a push on the proper media outlets will be more effectual – especially since a presence on aging media outlets suggests an out-of-date brand to younger audiences.
[WC – 172]
References:
Gummesson, E. (2002). Total relationship marketing. [electronic resource] : marketing strategy moving
from the 4Ps–product, price, promotion, place–of traditional marketing management to the 30Rs–
the thirty relationships–of a new marketing paradigm. Oxford ; Boston : Butterworth-Heinemann,
2002.
Brenda,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about media marketing strategies! Having recently completed a social media campaign to promote Dr. Green’s blog, I can relate to some of these strategies and the do’s and dont’s of social media marketing. I thought it was interesting how you said that the first step in the media marketing process is studying the audience and analyzing their interests (Coleman, 2017). I know target markets are very important but had not really thought of analyzing their interests as much. I think this varies between social media platforms, for instance, it might be better to analyze interests on facebook than twitter because of how information is shared. If one is able to analyze the interests of the target audience, they can then create visuals like videos and infographics that will grab their attention much faster and easier. I can attest that I am attracted more to pictures and videos that have golf clubs or new cars and trucks on social media because I am interested in them.
Reference:
Nuleadership, /. (2017, October 02). Social Media Marketing Strategies by Guest Blogger Brenda Coleman. Retrieved October 04, 2017, from https://nuleadership.com/2017/10/02/social-media-marketing-strategies-by-guest-blogger-brenda-coleman/
[WC 172]
Brenda,
Thank you for giving our entire class some of the ins and outs to marketing through social media. The thing I liked most was the simplicity of your points to make marketing through social media for beginners much easier. Much of America’s millennial generation is very knowledgeable when it comes to knowing how to operate most social media platforms. However I think much of us use it as a toy to kill time and to remain constantly stimulated. You gave us the most important steps to quit using these platforms as toys and to start using them as tools, either to help promote ourselves, or others in front of all of our followers and friends. The key to any marketing technique is exposure and through social media it is easy with the use of hash tags to promote something to viewers you may not have a relationship with but can reach through that common hash tag. It’s important to be diverse and always be seeking positive exposure.
-Thanks, Beau
(WC-170)
References
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Good evening Brenda,
I just want to thank you for your post and welcome you to our marketing class group. I really agreed with pretty much everything you said. I also believe that you should focus on a specific group of people, and we have actually talked about that in this class! I think planning is a very productive tool in social media marketing, but sadly, I lack this part in many things and need to improve in this area. I could not agree more with what you stated about hashtags. When people use tons of hashtags for one post, it rids the purpose of making one. “Social media is now even more pervasive than ever, and in theory, more powerful as a marketing tool than ever” (Terry, 2017). This just supports the facts you stated how if we use social media the right, it can be very effective.
Terry, M. (2017). Social Media Marketing for DPMs. Podiatry Management, 36(5), 91-98
Great response Tyler,
I also wrote about planning in my response and definitely feel very much the same way you do. I think in order to be successful during a social media marketing campaign you must plan ahead of time. Another point I found myself agreeing to in your reply was about hashtags. Hashtags should be used repetitively but in moderation. “So just because you can add hashtags to your Facebook posts doesn’t mean you should”(Ayres 2016). The golden rule should always be less is more. I think the purpose of a hashtag is to create something people can relate to and talk about and if you use too many than it takes away the whole point of them. Once again, great response Tyler and I look forward to your future posts.
[WC-133]
References:
Ayres, S. (2016, December 02). 4 Ways to Avoid Being a #Facebook #Hashtag #Douchebag. Retrieved October 07, 2017, from https://www.postplanner.com/4-ways-to-avoid-being-a-facebook-hashtag-douchebag/
Hello Ms. Brenda Coleman,
Thank you for sharing your ideas and opinions on the topic. Your post was very well written. Your first tip over social media was very clear and concise. I have never thought of “scanning his or her Facebook likes” as a form of research. I believe that analyzing a customer is underrated but should be highly valued because when it gets down to it your customer is the only thing that matters. Forbes magazine claims, “clearly defining your target audience makes all the difference when you are creating content” (2017). This statement coincides with your article because it further elaborates how critical it is to understand and form a relationship with your client.
Reference
Poremba, S. (2017, September 27). HPVoice: DaaS Can Transform Your End User Computing Strategy. Retrieved October 04, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/hp/2017/09/27/daas-can-transform-your-end-user-computing-strategy/#7ec87556628f
[WC-138]
Hello Mr. Lucas Coapman,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about Ms. Coleman’s post. I really enjoyed reading what you had to say! I also agree that analyzing a customer is underrated, but extremely important. If you do not know your customer as a company, there is no way to succeed, because the customer is the most important person to a business. The quote you used relates perfectly to not only Ms. Coleman’s post, but any aspect of business. Forbes stated, “clearly defining your target audience makes all the difference when you are creating content” (2017). Thank you for your insight, and good luck in the future!
Reference
Poremba, S. (2017, September 27). HPVoice: DaaS Can Transform Your End User Computing Strategy. Retrieved October 04, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/hp/2017/09/27/daas-can-transform-your-end-user-computing-strategy/#7ec87556628f
[WC: 130]
Ms. Coleman,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. The part that i particularly enjoyed is data analysis. Data analysis of social media and its effects has always been very intriguing to me. In William Perrult’s article about marketing and social media’s ability to impact products, he states that social media has become a “must need” for anyone trying to market a product (Perrult, 2015). Social media is incredible and has the potential to impact a lot of people. This is apparent through social media data. One social media site where this is particularly evident is Twitter. When you send out a tweet on Twitter, you are able to see how many people have read your tweet and how many timelines it has come across through retweets. For example, if i have 300 followers and i send out a tweet, and someone else with 500 followers retweets it, than that means my tweet has been shown to 800 different twitter users. Through social media, one person can impact thousands of other people, and this is apparent through social media data.
[WC-198]
References: WIlliam D. Perrult Jr., J. P. (2015). Basic MArketing: A marketing Strategy Planning Appraoch (19th Edition ed.). New York City, New York
Caleb,
I cannot agree more about your statements about using Twitter. I really like how you mentioned the analytics we can use while using Twitter. I still think it is amazing how we are able to check how many people saw the tweet on their timeline, how many clicked on the tweet, and how many clicked on your profile because of the tweet. While trying to raffle off free tickets to the Atlanta Hawks’ playoff game, Twitter is described as “so popular it had an overwhelming response” (Terry, 2017). It is truly amazing just how many people you are able to reach through just one tweet because of retweets.
WC 109
Terry, M. (2017). Social Media Marketing for DPMs. Podiatry Management, 36(5), 91-98
Hello Ms. Coleman,
Thank you very much for sharing your expertise with social media marketing and breaking down the fundamentals of social media. Each point explains what to think about when marketing online. Especially the last point (Circles on water) is crucial to understand for a well-planned social media campaign. One post can quickly expand over different social media platforms. The online platform SocialMediaToday in the article “Social’s Ripple Effect” (Deragon 2017) is explaining this ripple effect like this: “Social technology fuels activities where information can be disseminated and passed from community to community to broaden its impact”. Here is an example of how that looks like in my social media. I only use Facebook, nonetheless, I see many tweets that are shared on Facebook, sometimes even only minutes after they appeared on Twitter. This shows how quickly people can be reached on different platforms in no time. That also emphasizes the need to be careful about what you post as a business and how your image on social media looks like. Bad news travels just as fast, sometimes even faster, and can result in more damage than many posts that represent the business in a positive way.
WC – 199
References
Jay Deragon (January 07, 2011). Social Media Today: “Social’s Ripple Effect”, retrieved October 4th, 2017, from http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/socials-ripple-effect
Hello Brenda,
I loved reading through your post, and how you took the time to share your insight into social media marketing. Business’s are beginning to learn that social media is a relitavely easy way to advertise their product. It can reach thousands of people that are willing to buy your product that probably would have never heard of your product otherwise. I think one major thing that stuck out to me in your post was visual perception. You said that “Visual perception has always been dominate in a human’s mind. I think is a very important idea that shouldn’t be overlooked, because you need to make your ads appealing to the eye in order to draw people in. I would like to thank you for taking the time to share your insight.
Thanks,
Heath Cribbs
[WC – 182]
References
Perreault, Jr., W.D., Cannon, J.P., & Macarthy, E.J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19th Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Hi Heath,
I agree with you and Ms. Coleman that visual perception in an extremely important factor of social media nowadays. Especially on Instagram, people are attracted to entertaining visuals. Companies can use this to their advantage if they are “focused on altering the viewer’s emotions in order to get them to engage with your Instagram post” (Jackson, 2017). Some of the ways to be more visually appealing is to use harmonious color pallets and to have a recognizable theme that portrays the image of your company that you are trying to sell to customers.
[WC-95]
References
Jackson, D. (2017, September 13). Science Has Spoken: Here’s Why Your Instagram Posts Don’t Get Engagement. Retrieved October 07, 2017, from https://www.crazyegg.com/blog/why-instagram-posts-dont-get-engagement/
Hello Ms. Coleman!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and insight on the concept of social media marketing. Your post was well-written and very informative. All nine points that you make in this blog are crucial for the success of any company on social media. One thing that caught my eye was point number eight when you talked about laconic and precise texts and how when a company posts to social media that “less is more”. I am a firm believer of this concept because when i go through social media and see a long post from a company, i tend to scroll past it because it would be time consuming. The more a company talks the more they decrease the likelihood that people will want to listen to them (Hunt, 2013). Short and informative posts will get the best views because it is easy and quick for people to go through them.
Thanks again!
AJ Merkel
[WC – 159]
References:
Hunt, C. (2016, March 02). Social Media Engagement: 9 Reasons Why Less is More. Retrieved October 04, 2017, from http://denovati.com/2013/09/social-media-engagement-less-is-more
Hello Ms. Coleman
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and giving us some very helpful tips for marketing through social media platforms. I really enjoyed reading your post. For point number three, you point out how important visual data is and the impact it can have. I recently found this out in a recent social media marketing campaign with some of my classmates for an assignment. It was very clear how important the visual perception of our posts were. By posting a more visually appealing graphic, we got many more likes on our post. “In today’s digital environment, marketers’ window of opportunity for customer engagement is getting ever smaller. There are many different digital channels for your business to reach your audience, but changing browsing behaviours and social media trends have limited the time you get to grab the attention of your prospects and customers, amidst your growing competition.” (Marsh 2016) Marsh speaks to the importance of grabbing the viewer’s attention as efficiently as possible. Which could not be truer in today’s times.
Marsh, R. (16, September 9). 5 Ways to Use Visual Impact for Social Media Marketing Success. Retrieved October 05, 2017, from https://www.enchantagency.com/blog/5-ways-to-use-visual-impact-for-social-media-marketing-success
[WC – 197]
Brenda,
Thank you so much for all your wisdom on this topic! Though I have thought through a few of the logistics in regard to having an effective social media marketing experience, I had not contemplated the details you provided. You mentioned the necessity of always looking for ways to improve one’s marketing tactics, more specifically, the advertisement and the response it receives. In order to continue to progress in gaining attention from the target market, one must do great research to find likes and dislikes to function at their greatest potential. McCarthy, Cannon, and Perreault make a wonderful observation when evaluating different strategies that provide a chance at gaining the most success feasible. One statement that seems to carry a bit of weight when deciding how to best advertise would be to focus on being “more efficient at what [said business does] best” (2014). To advertise at a standard that will prove to benefit the product or service offered, one must take into account the minute details that make up the target market, yet also pair it with the knowledge of how they can best reach them and focus on doing it well in order to excel.
[WC – 198]
Cannon, J., McCarthy, J., Perreault, W. (2014). Basic Marketing: A Marketing Strategy Planning Approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Hello Ms. Coleman,
Thank you for your input on social media marketing. I enjoyed reading your thoughts and tips for social media marketing especially the “Search Is Your Everything” tip you give us. I completely agree with the concept of having to study and analyze your audience to find their interest. I would have never thought of looking through my audiences likes on social media to find more about their personal interests. “the market your research shows to target should represent a high share of potential profitability to the company” (Perreault, 2014). In a company finding a target market kind increase the chances of your business to be successful therefore your tips over how to find interest is extremely helpful.
References:
Perreault, Jr., W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic Marketing (19 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
[WC- 120]
Jesus,
I appreciate your input on Ms. Coleman’s post. I agree with you that coming up with the idea of going through your markets social media likes is a creative way to find your target market. That wouldn’t have ever crossed my mind. I enjoy the way you describe the necessity for your target market as it is something that has to be confined to reach max success. With this your business becomes, “more efficient at what [said business does] best” (2014).
Thank you again for your feedback, looking forward to reading more of your work.
WC-185
Cannon, J., McCarthy, J., Perreault, W. (2014). Basic Marketing: A Marketing Strategy Planning Approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Hello Ms. Coleman,
Thank you for sharing your sharing your thoughts and wisdom! Your contribution to Dr.Green’s blog helps gain insight from an experienced professional. You made essential points on how companies can use social media marketing to their advantage. I believe this is especially important in this generation because everything seems to be revolving around the newest trending topic or post. The point that I found most important was number four. That point focuses on the importance of having a plan for your social platform because every platform is unique and needs an individual plan.
I feel like this is something to keep in mind because the audience you have on twitter might not be the same as the one you have on Facebook or Instagram. I can attest to this because the way I brand myself is different on Instagram as compared to Facebook based on the people that follow me. McCarthy also mentions this when talking about understanding social media platforms and the importance of having a plan for your platform.(Perreault, Jr., Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014).
[WC-201]
Cannon, J., McCarthy, J., Perreault, W. (2014). Basic Marketing: A Marketing Strategy Planning Approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Hello Yamilex,
Your comment is very well written and insightful. I agree that Ms.Coleman made essential points on how companies can use social media marketing to their advantage. Having a unique is very important for any kind of marketing. The way you want your product or yourself represented depends on the platform you are on. Your example of how your brand yourself differently on social media platforms depending on your audience explains this perfectly. Basic Marketing states that “social media has become a “must need” for anyone trying to market a product (Perrult, 2014).” Which I feel is completely true for any product to be successful in there markets. Great job on your comment!
References:
Cannon, J., McCarthy, J., Perreault, W. (2014). Basic Marketing: A Marketing Strategy Planning Approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
[WC-114]
Hello Ms. Coleman,
Thank you so much for your tips on social media marketing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog. Social Media is a very powerful tool in today’s world that when done effectively can have as much impact as paid advertising. I especially liked tip number 7 about when to use hashtags. It is easy to get caught up in hash tagging but I can agree that too much and not relevant hashtags takes away from the topic of a post. I tend to pay attention to the companies who know how to effectively use hashtags.
[WC-98]
Hello Jared! Enjoyed reading your post. I am glad you brought up the issue with too many hashtags being used on some posts out there on social media. Whenever i come across a post that has thirty hashtags i do not tend to take them seriously and do not put the time and effort to go through their post. It makes it seem a little unprofessional and time consuming. Using too many hashtags generally dilutes your message and comes off as desperate (LaPage). Instead it is goo to use simple and easy hashtags so it doesn’t interfere with the message you are trying to get across.
[WC-106]
References:
LePage, E. (2017, March 10). How To Use Hashtags: The Do’s and Don’ts of Hashtags. Retrieved October 07, 2017, from https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-use-hashtags/
AJ, What a great point! Though Brenda made comments in regard to hashtags being overwhelming in her original blog post, I personally overlooked them. You couldn’t be more right when saying using multiple hashtags seems unprofessional. It always seems to be more of a desperate cry for attention and takes away from the advertisement’s primary goal, just as you stated with your source. If a business is wanting to portray a professional image and gain respect from the target market, it would probably be best to stray away from using hashtags in general. Though it does provide more opportunities for exposure due to other’s potential use of the hashtag, ultimately, it will lead to a detrimental impact because of the negative connotation paired with hashtags.
[WC-125]
LePage, E. (2017, March 10). How To Use Hashtags: The Do’s and Don’ts of Hashtags. Retrieved October 07, 2017, from https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-use-hashtags/
Hello Ms. Coleman,
I really enjoyed reading your blog on how to better use social media in marketing. Your comments on how to effectively utilize the platforms was exactly what we have been studying in class. I would like to narrow in on one of your points. In your blog your #3 point was to use Visual Data to make an Impact. As you stated: “Visual perception has always been dominant in a human’s mind. In case you don’t know, the better part of all the information is perceived through our eyes.” (Coleman, 2017)
Much research has been done on this subject; Jesse Mawhinney of HubSpot.com shared some interesting statistics on this subject. He said: “Tweets with images receive 150% more retweets than tweets without images.” and that “Facebook posts with images see 2.3X more engagement than those without images.” (Mawhinney, 2017) This shows that society today loves visuals. Therefore, Images in our marketing, especially on social media, is very important.
Reference:
Mawhinney, J. (2017, January 3). 42 Visual Content Marketing Statistics You Should Know in 2017. Retrieved October 06, 2017, from https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-strategy
[WC – 161]
Hello Jonathon,
I enjoyed reading your post. It’s crazy just how many people in today’s society are visual people. I for one agree with the statistics as I don’t have time to look at every little post on social media so I tend to skim and pictures and videos is what catches my attention. If a company does not use pictures in their social media marketing I tend to not pay attention to their post. A profitable and successful company knows exactly how and when to use pictures.
[WC-89]
Hello, Johnathan!
I enjoyed reading your take on the importance of visual data. I liked how you provided interesting statistics showing the great impact that visual data has in marketing. This made me curious and after researching more data I found that “blogs with images receive 94 percent more views than blogs without images” (DeMers J, 2014). You also mentioned that visual perception has always been dominant in a humans mind. I had not thought of this point before and I feel like it adds on to your argument in a clear and concise way.
Good marketing photos are way more likely to engage your audience than simple text. There’s a saying that says you should never judge a book by its cover, but most people do. You get one opportunity to engage a first-time viewer, so having a good visual provides the viewer with a clear understanding of what it is that you are offering.
[WC-198]
Reference:
DeMers, J. (2014, October 01). Your Guide To Using Images In Your Content Marketing Strategy. Retrieved October 07, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/09/29/your-guide-to-using-images-in-your-content-marketing-strategy/#39047217b8ac
Jonathan,
I agree with you, the visual example is such a good example because the customer has to attracted to the product by what he looks like. Visuals are so important, because they are what ensures a clear understanding of what is being sold. “A positioning analysis helps managers understand how customers see their market. It is a visual aid to understanding the product-market. The first time such an analysis is done, managers may be shocked to see how much customers’ perceptions of a market differ from their own” (Perreault, 2014). This just gets to show that it does not only help the sellers show what they have to offer, but get a better understanding of what the customers like.
[W.C. 120]
Cannon, J., McCarthy, J., Perreault, W. (2014). Basic Marketing: A Marketing Strategy Planning Approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Hello Ms. Coleman,
Thank you for your post! I was able to learn a lot from it. Social media marketing is a growing trend in today’s market and it is important for us, as business students, to have this knowledge. As you mentioned, we should define a clear target market of what groups we wish to reach out to. This mainly depends on the type of customer that a company has, but different buyers are present in different social media platforms. “Once you have a clear picture of who your ideal customers are, you can use this information to determine where they hang out online” (Weiss-Roessler, 2017). In other words, once you decide who your target market is, you should take advantage of the platforms they use the most. For example, I am assisting local coffee shop in planning their social media strategy. They told me their primary target audience are retired customers, therefore, I strongly suggested having a Facebook page because this is where their customers are the most present.
[WC-171]
Reference
Weiss-Roessler, J. (n.d.). How to Find Your Target Audience on Social Media. Retrieved October 07, 2017, from https://www.intechnic.com/blog/how-to-find-your-target-audience-on-social-media/
Isabella,
I agree with you, there has to be a target point that one should aim for. This is important because people will save money on advertisement and will get to be able to sell their products at a higher price when they aim for the right target. “Possible target markets must be matched with marketing mixes the firm can offer. Then, attractive strategies- really, whole marketing plan- are chosen from implementation. Controls are needed to be sure that the plans are carried out successfully” (Perreault, 2014). This shows how the target market needs to have controls and specific strategies to be successful, not to just go and do a random target.
[W.C. 132]
Cannon, J., McCarthy, J., Perreault, W. (2014). Basic Marketing: A Marketing Strategy Planning Approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
I loved reading what Brenda Coleman has to say in regards to social media. This is a huge controversial topic in today’s time for it is consuming a large part of communication throughout the world. More and more social media conversations take place versus face-to-face conversations in our daily lives. Yet, it is quite true that because of social media platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, etc., a bigger portion of information is reaching higher views or receiving more feedback due to the swiftness social media entails. According to Professor Gonxhe Beqiri at the European University of Tirana Social, “media marketing compared to traditional marketing, represents a new level of challenge for marketers.” By embracing a new tactic of marketing, using social media platforms, marketers are faced with new information on how to strategies their product. They must create an image that attracts the buyers to their specific brand, which if the brand succeeds, will help spread the face of their company.
[WC 161]
References:
Beqiri, G. (2015). Marketers and social media marketing. Proceedings Of The Multidisciplinary Academic Conference, 91-98.
Pingback: Free Social Media Strategies that WORK! – Social Science Marketing