The Social Media Revolution
If you haven't heard of the Social Media Revolution, you mustn't own a computer (Tip #1: Go and buy a computer!). Twitter, Facebook and You Tube have taken over the internet superhighway and just about EVERYONE is on it!
Celebrities were the first to use Social Media for PR with Ashton Kutcher and Britney Spears becoming the King and Queen of Twitter. Now Facebook Groups are influencing the Logies, Politicians are having online Twitter debates and Cadbury are creating ads for You Tube rather than Television. You too can market your product or service to the social masses through the biggest revolution in communication since the mobile phone.
Here are 5 reasons why you need to jump on the online bandwagon and start social media marketing:
1. It's FREE!!! Even if you do pay for advertising spots on these websites, the costs are lower than traditional advertising, and you can target your demographic more specifically than any other media. The benefits will almost definitely out weigh the costs.
2. Boost Traffic & SEO. If you have a successful social media following, and you include links between your website and the social media site, you will most certainly increase traffic to your website. Huge sites such as Twitter, Facebook and You Tube are high rankers with search engines, like Google. When your site has permanent links to and from these sites, search engines take note, thus increasing your level of Search Engine Optimisation.
3. Go Viral. Like word of mouth advertising, Social Media allows for referrals. The more people who are following you, the wider the reach of your message. Going "Viral" is when your referral roller-coaster really takes off. You need to have something of immense interest to spark this, like a fantastic special, great story, funny video clip (which could be a quirky ad for you product) or a creative image/graphic. Going viral is hitting a marketing gold mine!
4. Blog Daily. Why wait weeks to get your monthly eNewsletter out to all your clients, when you can update daily, even sooner. Use Twitter or Facebook as a blog to send messages out about your product, what's happening, launches, specials, awards, promotions etc. But remember, most people use Social Media for play, so be creative, keep it light and have some fun with your messaging.
5. In your face! With mobile phones now becoming handheld computers, you can tweet or poke your followers even when they are away from their desks. This introduces a huge range of options for targeted advertising. Don't forget to add your "Follow me" links to your website home page to make sure all your clients follow you too. You can even include a Twitter Update, or Facebook Status Update on your homepage, like WISDOM has done for Longboard Beer www.longboardbeer.com <http://www.longboardbeer.com>
For more information on how to integrate your website with Twitter, Facebook or You Tube, have a chat with one of the WISDOM web crew. Don't forget to check out our You Tube Channel and join our Twitter feed to keep updated on all things WISDOM!