Social media is affecting every aspect of a consumer’s decision-making process, making it impossible for businesses to ignore. Today’s savvy consumers are demanding social media from businesses because they want information and people are searching for information because they need to find results. This demand is changing the way companies are doing business. In order to give consumers what they are looking for, businesses need to participate in social media forums such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn etc.
Social media will help your business increase your digital footprint. Social outpost can reach those people who need your services, and can have a greater reach than many advertising mediums. Success in social media comes from interacting in a genuine effort by offering company insights, discounts, answering specific questions, and thanking fans. These types of exchanges allow for consumers to engage with a business, get to know them, and feel comfortable hiring them for their services.
Social media strategies should have one goal in mind; that is to drive business and consumer awareness around your brand. Creating a home base is essential, and will aid in the success of connecting with consumers, and increase your conversion rates.
Your corporate blog should be your home base, and be a device that is responsible for managing and dispersing all information. The goal here is not to drive your traffic to Facebook, Twitter, or other social networking platforms that act as outpost for your business. Social outpost is where initial interactions should take place, but should have a clear focus on driving consumers back to your blog.
It’s your corporate blog that can be controlled completely, and can offer additional information along with site-specific content, which will move customers to action.
So how do you guide your followers back to your blog? The best way is to create new content, or blog post on a consistent basis. Just make sure to include links back to your blog in your Facebook and Twitter posts. It’s as easy as that!
Side note:
Customized Facebook tabs and landing pages are a great idea, and will help consumers connect with your brand. Since Facebook is a social outpost, then importing your blog and Twitter feeds into your Facebook page should be avoided. After all, the goal is not to keep people on your Facebook page, but should be to drive people to action by brining them back to your blog.
With a little strategic planning mixed with creativity and innovation, your social media efforts will drive more traffic to your blog and website, and will aid in the conversion of customers that have been educated by you through your social media efforts.
