Social Media Marketing Basics: Everything you need to know

Social media has become an integral part of the online marketing world. It allows businesses to engage with their audiences and promote their products and services. It is more important than ever for businesses and marketers to understand social media marketing basics. 

Adopting social media marketing might be the missing piece in your customer-acquisition puzzle.

But if you’re just getting started, you may feel overwhelmed with all the information around you. 

Well…

This guide is for you!

We’ve detailed out in this post what social media marketing is and why it is essential for your success. You’ll also learn how to make it work for your business according to the latest trends.

Let’s get started with social media marketing basics.

What is Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing (SMM) refers to the use of social platforms to market products and services. It’s a digital marketing technique used by companies to promote and grow their brands.

Businesses can attract new leads by publishing content on different social media websites. That engaging content will then boost your online visibility and brand credibility.

The most popular social channels today are: 

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest

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What Are The Benefits Of Social Media Marketing?

One of the biggest advantages of SMM is that it opens doors for a much wider audience online.

Today, there are 3.5 billion social media users, and Facebook alone has 2.9 billion active users each month. 

Better yet:

These users spend 3 hours per day, on average, scrolling through those platforms. 

All that gives you a huge opportunity to promote your brand and reach your prospects online.

Also:

This marketing approach is completely free and easy to manage compared to other strategies such as paid ads and email marketing.

More importantly:

Social media marketing can yield long-lasting results in a much shorter period. 

For example:

SEO often takes up to six months before you generate your first leads. With SMM, however, you can drive visitors to your site within your first few weeks.

Get Started With Social Media Marketing Basics

There are millions of companies online fighting for attention, and only the best brands will rise to the top.

Whether it’s building a massive following or driving new leads to your site, the steps you need to take are the same. You must create and share outstanding content to engage your audience.

Any business looking to win with social media marketing should follow these social media marketing basics steps:

1- Research Your Target Audience

Different audiences prefer different social media platforms. So, you should meet your prospects where they are.

For example:

A travel agency will find bigger success on Instagram. But, a lifestyle brand can attract a lot more clients on Pinterest.

Of course, that doesn’t mean your business should only be present on one platform. But, identifying your target customers and their preferences helps you pick the right social channels.

As a rule of thumb, it helps to get your business present on the big four at first:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn 

These channels have billions of monthly users. So, you’ll guarantee a fair chance of finding your target customer.

Next:

You have to research your competitors to see which channels are working best for them. 

Get on other platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, etc., and see if there are any competitors with an audience there. That helps you save time and be more confident that your plan will work.

2- Create Accounts For Your Brand

You must now create social profiles on each platform you chose.

Your main focus here is to maintain an outstanding brand identity. You want to keep your company top of mind for each prospect on these social media platforms.

So:

Be sure to enter your professional business details. Use a real phone number, address, and website to increase credibility. 

Also:

You should use professional design in your profile, including your logo and brand colors. That allows you to establish consistency and make lasting impressions on all prospects.

3- Publish Content Regularly

In this step, you’ll make a content marketing strategy that defines the following:

• Type of content you’ll share
• How often you’ll publish new posts
• When to share your posts
• How to interact with your audience on social media

Next: 

You’ll start sharing content in different forms — whether it’s images, videos, or plain text.

It’s never clear what works best for your business, but don’t worry about every small detail. Things will become more apparent as you try out different forms and learn from your audience.

Now, all you have to do is follow your content plan and be consistent with your schedule.

4- Analyze Your Metrics

Monitoring progress is always essential in any marketing strategy. You should know if your content is driving the best results and how you can improve it. 

The most important metrics you should track for SMM are:

• Post reach/impressions
• Post engagements (likes, reactions, comments, shares)
• Number of page follows/likes
• Account tags
• Views (for videos)

These metrics are all available for you to see on your profile. Each one is going to help you refine and improve your marketing strategy. 

For example:

You may notice that your audience interacts with images better on Instagram. Or that Pinterest is driving the most site visits when you share infographics.

5- Build An Audience

As people start noticing your brand, you’ll gain more authority on the platform. That allows you to attract an even bigger audience through social shares and reposts. 

Your final step is to drive those leads to your site and convert them into loyal customers. Or, you can also sell your products directly through those social channels. 

By this point:

Your audience already trusts your brand and knows about your services. So, all you have to do is make them an offer they can’t refuse. 

Bottom Line

Like any marketing strategy, social media marketing is going to take time and effort. You may not see results in your first few weeks as you’re still exploring different platforms.

But: 

Once you start to build a following, your numbers will always go higher. You’ll generate lots of leads to your site and transform your business.

Need help getting started with social media marketing?

Check out our social media marketing services to learn more about social media marketing basics and how we can help you establish a powerful online presence. Don’t hesitate to give us a call at 949-354-2574 so we can discuss your project.