Top Social Media Tools for 2021
In my previous article, “Three Reasons To Make Your Blog A Content Hub,” I outline how a company blog can serve as a hub for your content marketing strategy. Social media, in this instance in the form of a blog, has countless benefits that can drive website traffic and build thought leadership. It can clearly demonstrate your expertise and the value you bring to your customers.
Connect with Consumers Through Your Content
As a value-added partner, your customers appreciate when you share insights, industry trends, and even trade “secrets,” keeping them abreast of issues and opportunities that impact them. They also appreciate the human side of business, which many large companies lose sight of. In turn, use social media to showcase your people, passions, corporate social responsibility initiatives, and milestones. Make your social media posts relatable, timely, and super relevant. Take the “what’s in it for them” approach – rather than trying to constantly promote your offerings. Customers want to converse and receive timely responses to criticisms and compliments. If you’re monitoring social media and taking issues off social channels to resolve them, you’ll create positive word-of-mouth and loyalty. Over time, your business will be known and trusted.
Keep Your Consumers’ Attention
When looking at the top social media channels, including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and blogs, it is clear that people (including decision makers and stakeholders) prefer consuming video and photo content. In fact, social media posts with video have 48% more views. People have become accustomed to learning through short videos and pictures with small blurbs of text. Therefore, to grab and keep your customers’ attention, use pictures, brief videos, and easy-to-read graphics. Also, when developing content, we recommend occasionally using higher quality video and images, but creating and disseminating organic visual assets that demonstrate your approachability and company’s personality.
Utilize Influencer Marketing
Today, 93% of customers read online reviews before buying a product. People trust peer reviews and candid comments and want to know the entire story behind a service, product, or company. Influencers, such as bloggers and people with robust social media followings, are an important source of these reviews. While influencer marketing has, in large part, become pay-to-play, there are still ways to generate reviews from these players organically. It has continued to grow in popularity in recent years, and it will likely remain vital to social media marketing in the future. When working with influencers, be sure to look for win-win opportunities to partner and always be authentic and transparent about your company’s values and messaging.
Celebrate Success
Invite both your employees and customers to share your social content. Create relevant hashtags, make sure you regularly offer fresh content – especially if it can help your stakeholders and customers, and encourage your happy customers to share their experiences, reviews, and testimonials. Not only will this continue to grow the relationship you have with your consumers, but it will improve your online reputation, generating even greater impact.