Get Started With Social Media Marketing to Increase Your Reach

Whether you’re starting a business or maintaining a personal blog, your website alone isn’t enough to get the most out of your content. You need external communication channels. Social media is playing an increasingly important role. With Social Media Marketing, you increase your reach, strengthen customer ties and ultimately become more present.

So what exactly is Social Media Marketing and why is it so important for success in the first place?

What is Social Media Marketing?

The term Social Media Marketing covers all activities that are carried out via social media channels and which serve to increase traffic, reach and customer loyalty. The external channels serve as a supplement and multiplier of your existing web presence. The main goal is to increase your brand awareness, independent of search engines and offline marketing strategies.

Although social networks were not originally created as marketing tools, they proved to be so effective for this purpose that nowadays more and more companies and bloggers rely on this form of distribution. With user numbers continually on the rise, they represent a modern form of word-of-mouth marketing!

7 Tips to get you started

However, Social Media Marketing is not automatically a no-brainer. Especially in the beginning it takes a lot of time and also later you have to keep your fans happy. It is therefore worthwhile not to rush headlong into it, but to give it some thought beforehand and follow some basic rules.

1. Think first, then write!

A social media post is quickly created and published in passing. Even responding to your users’ comments can theoretically be done between doorsteps from your smartphone. However, this is not necessarily advisable. Avoid quick, ill-considered posts, because especially with controversial topics, this can quickly backfire.

2. Quality over quantity

A certain regularity of input makes sense. However, you should not post meaningless things. Think about a strategy in advance and follow a common thread. Your posts on social networks should always provide added value and fit into the overall concept. Also, it is not necessary to be on every social network — just those relevant to your target audience!

3. Personality

Show personality! This is always important anyway. In the social media world, however, the generally casual manners open up many more opportunities for you. Take advantage of them and let the boundaries between business and private blur, but don’t be unprofessional. In this way, you loosen the relationship with your users and perhaps even reach another target group branch.

4. High willingness to communicate

Social media is all about direct communication. You are automatically closer to users there than on your website. Therefore, be sure to respond promptly to inquiries or comments — even negative ones!

5. Authenticity

Create a trusting environment. This only works with authenticity and honesty. Don’t try to imitate others and stay away from bought likes or fake comments. This won’t do you any good in the long run, because only genuine followers will also become ambassadors for your company and potential customers.

6. Image plus text equals perfect team

A text without an image goes undetected, but an image without text raises questions. Therefore, always combine the two. This way you can also include relevant keywords right away. The best way to do this is with #hashtags.

7. Develop a strategy

At this point, I don’t want to explain to you how to develop a strategy. But make you aware that you should definitely have one! Social media activities ripple along the way for many websites — without a clear structure and goal. A confused “post something about something” confuses users. Develop a common thread and plan enough time for network maintenance!