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The advent of social media increased connectivity to unimaginable levels today. But, it also brought with it the potential for businesses to reach millions if not billions of people at once. As a result, social media marketing has been on the rise for the past decade. However, the pandemic expedited the process. Add that to the burgeoning rise in startups, and you have the perfect opportunity to market your product better.
The shift of marketing tactics from conventional to online means has brought with it its own challenges, and the sooner startups overcome them, the easier it would be for them. Hence, our team of expert marketers have identified five key lessons that every startup should understand to improve their social media marketing campaigns.
- Network-Based Strategies
One of the most common marketing mistakes committed by startups is to think that the same content will work on all social networking sites. Such an assumption can prove detrimental to the success of the marketing campaign. There are different marketing tactics for different networking sites. For instance, the best platform to connect with CXOs and other industry influencers in the digital space is through Twitter. Likewise, company culture can be effectively displayed through the official Facebook page, and Instagram can be used to approach customers in an informal manner. Hence, it is a best practice to market your product on the networking site according to its formulation and remember that the same strategy will not work on every website.
- Understanding the Customer Preference
Securing customer feedback and understanding their needs and demands has become highly simplified in the digital era. A simple survey form can greatly ease your pain of identifying what your customers want. With a minimal budget, companies can easily identify the customer’s primary pain points and act to rectify them. Similarly, small businesses and startups can effectively use social media platforms to understand their customers. Use this newly available data to provide stellar service that aligns with customer demands and needs. Moreover, the setup of social media allows businesses to get into a more authentic interaction with their customers and more so in recent times when prospects have become more vocal about their expectations and experiences.
- Testing the Content
Another best practice when implementing a social media campaign is to test the content regularly. The reason for the higher emphasis on regular inspections is clear as the algorithms are constantly changing, and the consumer expectations are fickle as well. It is quite possible that what worked for your campaign in the past might not work in the future. However, there is no magic formula to identify the current consumer expectations. Companies will have to use the age-old trial and error method to find the most effective content. The best method to understand what works and what doesn’t is to track the basic metrics such as likes, shares, and comments. Try new methods as much as possible as you might find a better strategy at any point.
- Uniform Display of the Company Voice
The specific content produced on individual social media websites may differ, but the essence of your marketing campaigns should display the same brand voice. Social media websites will be your first point of interaction with prospects in the digital era. As a result, it is necessary to display the same brand voice at all times. Not doing so will lead to the generation of mixed impressions on your customers.
Hence, a valuable lesson for startups is not delegating the responsibility of handling the social channels to a marketing intern. Rather, the job should be given to an experienced individual that understands the company and its offerings. Millennials will undeniably make up a large part of your customer base. So, it is highly advisable to maintain authenticity and consistency across all platforms. Real-time feedback and replies are always appreciated.
- Understand Your Brand Values
Like the company’s brand voice, the brand values should also be overtly displayed at every interaction. Clarity and consistency in brand values are integral to the success of your marketing campaigns. However, the first step is to identify the brand values that you wish to display. This is an internal process, and the upper administration is responsible for identifying and conveying the same ideas for everyone to follow.
Final Word
Irrespective of your industry, social media marketing will undeniably help your business improve its reach. However, startups are especially prone to committing enlisted mistakes. Hence, it is highly advisable to learn these lessons and improve your marketing tactics. Understanding the customer demands and needs will always be central to succeeding in the business world regardless of the era.
