What Is Social Media Marketing? [Guide]

What Is Social Media Marketing? Well that’s where social media marketing comes in. Because of this, and because of the fact that each social network is different, it’s important to understand how each social network is used. Users can pin multiple photos to different boards in order to help manage and categorize their favorite content. But before you get into posting different types of content on any channel, it’s first important to define some of the different goals that you might have for social media marketing. One important point to realize however is that just because you have 1000 followers on social media doesn’t mean that every time you post all 1000 of them will see that post. This concept of organic reach is the most prevalent on Facebook and Instagram since the algorithms used to determine who will see your content at any given time are based primarily on engagement. On other networks, such as Pinterest or Twitter, organic reach is less relevant since engagement is not the key determinant of who will see your content at any given time. Recent updates to platforms, specifically Facebook, have also diminished the total organic reach of Facebook Business pages due to the fact that more content is being created than can ever be displayed to a user. How are you using social media in your marketing?

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What is Social Media Marketing?
What is Social Media Marketing?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 10 years, you’re probably well acquainted with the term “social media”.

But outside of a constant feed of photos on Instagram and ever-expanding personal updates on Facebook, marketers might be asking themselves “what is social media, and how can it be used to grow my business”?

Well that’s where social media marketing comes in.

Simply put, social media marketing is the process of using social media channels to promote a product or service.

Compared to traditional media, it’s a two-way channel. Social media gives an audience a chance to respond, engage, and interact with a brand as well as offering your business access to an attentive (and massive) audience.

The beauty of social media marketing is that it takes place in spaces where people go to share and interact. Because of this, brands can establish a relationship with their followers. They can develop brand personas and become known for a certain tone, content and style.

One of the most important things to understand about social media marketing is that the way in which companies can succeed on social media will be entirely dependent on whether they can create an organic experience for users.

Because of this, and because of the fact that each social network is different, it’s important to understand how each social network is used.

Social Networks

Facebook is currently the biggest social network on the planet with over 1.18 billion active users on a daily basis and 1.79 billion monthly users.

Facebook would be considered a social connection platform, meaning that people log in regularly to check in and see what their friends and family are up to.

Types of content that do well on Facebook include short videos, images, memes, and quotes.

Facebook is one of the best platforms to get content to go viral due to the high degree of visibility and longevity of posts when shared amongst groups.

Twitter is best known for its 140 character limit and introduction of the hashtag.

Since Twitter delivers content to its users based chronologically (rather than based on engagement, as Facebook does), content on Twitter has a shorter lifespan when compared with Facebook.

Content that does well on Twitter includes current current events, text posts, and how-to posts.

Take a look at this chart that shows the total number of retweets for how-to posts vs other types of posts.

Instagram

Instagram is a visual platform best known for its nice filters, easy to use interface, and network of photography enthusiasts happy to share their latest photos.

Content that does well on Instagram tends to be visually appealing content of things like food, travel, design, and fashion.

Since Instagram has such a big user base that likes to browse through photos, correctly tagging photos with relevant hashtags can be the key to driving engagement.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a platform that allows users to find and “pin” photos which they want to save for later.

Users can pin multiple photos to different boards in order to help manage and categorize their favorite content. These boards can then be shared amongst the members of the community.

The demographic of Pinterest users tends to be women which would explain why content relating to fashion, fitness, baking, and interior design do so well on the platform.

Pinterest also tends to be an aspirational platform, meaning that since people are pinning their favorite items, can be a great opportunity for brands to showcase their best products as “wish lists” for the Pinterest audience.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a social network dedicated to connecting all of the world’s professionals.

It’s a place where people go to update their resumes, find new opportunities, and connect with colleagues and other industry professionals.

Because of this, content that does best on LinkedIn tends to be industry specific content, content on productivity, and other types of personal and career development materials.

Social Media Strategy

Once you understand the different use cases of each platform and what your audience is trying to achieve when there…

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