If You Build a Website They Will Come… But Only if You Promote on Social Media!

Posted by Philadelphia Website Design in Boyertown - Media Fusion Tech on Sunday, July 30, 2017

“If you build it they will come” is a popular movie quote but not a great hook on which to hang your business hopes. In order for today’s businesses to be successful, they must promote effectively on social media.

It's essential for small businesses to have the right mentality. Using social media effectively and efficiently requires long-term commitment. You can’t throw a four-week blitz at it and walk away, expecting success. You have to be in it for the long haul to build a strong foundation of trust, care, awareness and value with followers. This also means that you will not get results to brag about in the first day (or week). Small businesses with comprehensive social media strategies are able to compete with much larger organizations on a more even playing field, when done correctly.

According to a recent study, one in six marriages that began in the last three years has resulted from an interaction that started online. At the same time, Nielsen also reports that four out of every five corporations in America are now leveraging social media to help expand their client base and build relationships with customers. There's no secret that social media is here to stay and that its position in the success or failure of most businesses grows larger every day.

Here are six key points of focus to know and commit to establish and maintain a productive social media presence for your business.

Be Personal, Authentic, Human, and Social

People do business with people, not with companies. Your business operating from a brick and mortar building likely makes sense to produce and deliver the goods. But spewing cold, stoic, brick and mortar social media post content that is completely devoid of human relevance and is not reflective of your personality, hobbies, interests, and moral commitments, will not deliver or keep followers… or results. Be authentic, be likeable, be trustworthy, be human, and above all... be social! People don’t buy diddly from people they don’t know, like, or trust!! Awareness, trust, and affinity are largely built online on social media.

Focus on Connecting, Not Collecting

Yes, having a lot of followers is important, but not if they don’t actually read your posts regularly and engage. Social media is not about collecting people, it’s about connecting people. Statistics show that 71% of people state they are more likely to purchase from a brand that they follow online. But why should anyone follow your brand? Neglecting your social media presence is a sure way to lose the opportunity to gain new customers or nurture existing relationships. If you want to grow meaningful connections—while growing your number of page likes and follows—the importance of authenticity cannot be overstated. Social media gives brands the opportunity to show their target audience who they are, not just what they sell. If you want to grow meaningful connections—as well as your number of page likes and follows—the significance of authenticity cannot be overstated.

People Shop on their Phones First, Even When in Line!

According to statistics eighty-two percent of shoppers say they consult their phones on purchases they're about to make in a store. Amazingly, nearly one in four shoppers say they have changed their minds while in a checkout line after looking up details on a smartphone! Whether you’re a global brand or the shop around the corner, the shift to mobile is changing your customers’ behavior in and out of the store. That means that your social media platforms must effectively communicate your products or service, and that your website must be responsive and up-to-date for all mobile browsing while displaying current, relevant data.

Quality Content is King

If your business has a presence on ‪social media, is it worth seeing by your existing customers, and is it representative of your business to attract new customers? More people than ever before may be newly exposed to your business as a result of social media. Only a few of them will actually consume your content on your website first (or at all). Most of them will see it directly on a social media platform and make their decision there. Quality content is paramount and ageless; it stands the test of time and keeps people coming back for more. You can choose to create, or hire someone to create, great content and build a prosperous brand. Or you can choose to take the easy path and write poor content – a path that ultimately will fail. It will only result in a waste of time, energy and resources.

Your Customers are on Social Media

It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, what widget or service you provide, or who your target demographic is. With more than 3 billion people using social media worldwide, chances are pretty good that you will find a customer or two there. While it may be more difficult to grab attention these days on social media, the good news is that your target audience is still there, ready to be inspired by your company’s story and creativity, as well as some of your product or service promotions. According to survey findings from MarketingSherpa, 85% of U.S. consumers said they used social media, with 58% all respondents saying they follow brands on social media.

Quality Blogs Drive Traffic to Your Website

Of course, the idea of blogs is to draw new customers to your website. That means that every blog post cannot be a thinly-disguised or blatant sales pitch. Just like the rest of your social media marketing, blogs need to Entertain, Inspire, Educate, Create Conversation, and then Convince to use your brand... all on an equal level. A great business blog doesn't sell. Instead, it shows customers why they should do business with you and not your competitors. It shows a personal, human and entertaining side of your business. Today, people simply do not do business with people that they don’t know, like, or trust. With potential new customers, awareness, trust, and affinity are largely built online.

Blogging helps your businesses get discovered via social media. Every time you write a blog post, you're creating content that people can share on social networks which helps expose your business to a new audience. Blog content also helps keep your social media presence fresh and growing, serving as a repository of content.

The Wrap Up

Social media marketing is an art form, and with the right social media marketing solutions and guidance, business owners can prosper. Constantly pushing advertisements and sales copies no longer works on today's increasingly social-media-savvy consumers, which means businesses need to take on a more strategic, relationship-building and personal approach.

The good news is, you don’t have to go it alone, nor should you try. Many businesses fail online by trying to do it themselves without having the knowledge or experience to know the right social media platforms that fit their business; the right formatting, content and frequency of each format; what to hashtag and how many hashtags per post; or how to create effective and attractive content that connects and attracts your target customers. It’s better to hire a professional social media marketing team to take your message online. Let the social media pros do what they do best, and you concentrate on doing what you do best so that you can satisfy the needs of your new customers!

Tagged: Website Development, social media, social media marketing, search engine optimization, blog, blogging, responsive design, eCommerce, website design, mobile first, Social Media Management, Content Marketing, Blogs, Building Business, Video Content, Philadelphia Website Design

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