One of the most important recent shifts in the marketing world has been the trend of placing more focus on inbound marketing tactics. In outbound marketing, business owners aggressively go after customers in an attempt to get them to buy into their offer. Inbound marketing employs the opposite strategy, allowing prospects to find the business on their own and make a decision for themselves about whether or not to use their services.
Social media is one of the most important elements in inbound marketing. Facebook has nearly 1.5 billion active monthly users, while other popular social networks like Twitter and Instagram boast user numbers in the hundreds of millions. Social media works for inbound marketing because it’s where prospects are hanging out. For those in need of some effective social media strategies, read on to discover three ways that businesses can raise their visibility so users can find them on social media sites.
- Focus on creating and sharing useful content rather than coming up with the best sales copy. Sites like Facebook have begun filtering out a lot of sales-focused posts from users’ news feeds because they don’t want to feel pressured. Sharing helpful content instead of making sales pitches gives users a chance to come to know, like, and trust a business before buying anything.
- Be sure to really interact with users. Social media thrives on interaction, and users have come to expect that business owners will inject some personality into their social media pages and profiles. Let fans and friends in on what goes on “behind the scenes” in the corporate office. Answer people’s questions personally when possible. This increased level of interaction helps to build even more trust and likability with users, which helps to convert them into loyal customers.
- Make social media users feel special. Hold contests that are only available to those who have liked the Facebook page or followed the company profile on Twitter. Ask users what they think about adding new products or services and improving existing ones. When users believe that a company actually cares about what they think, they’ll be more likely to become – and remain – a customer.
Social media is great for inbound marketing because it allows business owners to gain a prospect’s trust in a friendly, interactive environment. By employing the right social media marketing strategies, business owners are much more likely to experience the growth they’ve been longing to see.