The number of users on social media platforms in 2018 grew to an estimated 2.6 billion and the number is expected to climb to 3 billion by 2021.[1] These numbers are hard to ignore. Once considered to be a young person’s game, social media usage is rising across many demographics. Given the growing number of social media users, it is in your best interest to create or improve your business’ online presence and activity. When used right, social media can be a powerful marketing tool for increasing traffic to your website.
Pick a platform
Depending on the nature of your business, some platforms are more suitable than others. Sites like Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest are more visual, making them more appropriate for design or clothing brands. LinkedIn is better suited to B2B marketing, while Facebook and Twitter are useful if your business is centred around consumer products and information.
Of course, you don’t have to stick to just one site. As long as you identify your target audience and use web analytics to gain insight into their online behaviour and buying patterns, you can see which social media sites they use most frequently, and then build your social profiles using that information.
Share your URL
All social media platforms have a designated ‘Bio’ or ‘About’ section for each profile. Make sure you add your website’s URL to this section to make it easier for followers to access your website. This is useful not only because it creates ease of access, but it also makes your page more legitimate in the eyes of the user.
To make access even easier, add links to your website to whatever content you share.
Be useful and relevant
When you create and publish content for your website, share that content on your social channels. This increases the number of views on your post and drives traffic to your site.
Other than sharing content directly from your website, find interesting articles or other blog posts online, news stories, facts, or anything that relates to your product or services which you believe users will be interested in.
Whatever content you decide to share, make it appeal to your target audience. Your post may be one scroll away from that of a competitor, so make sure your shared content grabs attention and is worth taking the time to engage with.
Engage consistently
Social media channels allow you to engage with your audience directly and in real time. Social media users are often just a matter of seconds away from their apps, as many access these sites on mobile devices. Users may open their social apps to connect with others, to see what their friends and favourite brands are up to, or to simply pass the time. Whatever the reason, your presence on their feed provides ample opportunity to make a lasting impression.
When it comes to managing your social media accounts in a way that optimises your visibility and reputation whilst boosting traffic to your website, consistency is key. Users open their socials at different times of the day depending on their personal schedules and locations, so it can help to re-post links to your content. However, try not to over-share, as this can look like spamming.
Different sites have optimal frequency for post sharing. For example, on Pinterest, sharing five posts a day is acceptable, but on a site like Facebook, two posts a day is more than enough.
Use hashtags
Hashtags help you to reach a wider audience than your immediate followers. By tagging relevant keywords, new users can find and engage with your profile. This increases your visibility, thereby increasing the likelihood that your content will be engaged with. When you add links to your site on posts that use hashtags, you increase the likelihood that a user will visit your page.
Strengthen reputation
Using social media is a great way to create a reputation that gets users and potential customers talking. Instead of ignoring comments on your posts, try to reply to them as much as possible. This shows you are interested in the questions and concerns people have about your business.
Nearly 34% of customers prefer social media for customer care.[2] If you can demonstrate your care and interest in customers, you stand out among your competitors as a trustworthy and relatable entity.
Use visuals
While some platforms are more visually focused than others, it is best to use imagery as much as possible when sharing your content. In fact, content that uses relevant imagery gets 94% more views and engagement than content without any imagery.
This can be in the form of aesthetically pleasing imagery, educational infographics, or video content. Video content in particular is a powerful marketing tool as it is easy to engage with and can spread your message effectively.
Get social
Social media channels offer an unrivalled opportunity to get your brand seen and increase traffic to your site. They allow you to add a human touch to your business, bridging the perceived space between business and customer. Whether you are new to social media or are looking for ways to improve your channels so that they yield greater traffic, following the guidance outlined above should make a positive difference to your social media marketing strategy.
If you’d like help with managing an effective social media strategy for your business, get in touch with the friendly team at Mint Content.
Sources:
[1] Statista. 2020. Number Of Social Media Users Worldwide | Statista. [online] Available at: <https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/> [Accessed 1 August 2020].
[2] Zendesk. 2013. Why Are Customers Turning To Social Media? – Zendesk. [online] Available at: <https://www.zendesk.com/blog/instaservice/> [Accessed 1 August 2020].
