The traditional marketing model was to get as many eyeballs on your own product or service’s message as possible and hope that a percentage of customers purchase. Lifestyle Enhancement , radio advertising, direct mail, television commercials, magazine ads, etc.. are types of these traditional advertising methods. These conventional types of marketing are no longer effective as many consumers have grown to be blind to the ‘one way’ messaging. The message has been overdone and people no longer trust advertisers. A recently available survey discovered that only 14% of individuals trust ads while 76% of people trust consumer recommendations. Accordingly, more marketers began seeking alternative ways to connect with potential consumers.
Marketing on the Internet was originally made popular through the use of Websites and optimizing the websites through SEO (SEO) techniques. While still an advisable strategy, SEO has been updated by Web 2 2.0 strategies, such as for example social media marketing. Social media is when companies utilize Blogging platforms 2.0 platforms, such as for example blogs, social media sites (like Facebook, Google+, Foursquare, Twitter, & YouTube) along with other emerging online marketing tools. The advantage of web 2 2.0 platforms versus traditional method of advertising, and even traditional online marketing, is that it involves ‘two-way communication’, where users are empowered to generate content and businesses are incentivized to communicate with their customers.
The days of broadcasting your product or services message out to the masses and hoping for a response have died. People don’t want to obtain nameless, faceless companies. Not merely are consumers watching the ‘man behind the curtain’, however they also wish to know what others are saying about your product or service. A recent study concluded that 80% folks Internet using moms were influenced by word-of-mouth from family and friends when coming up with a purchase decision. No other media platform permits small businesses to reap the benefits of consumer person to person advertising like social media marketing.
Benefits Of Social Media Marketing
Increased New Customer Acquisitions – The benefit of social media marketing is that you will have the opportunity to connect with networks of potential prospects that you would otherwise be unable to come across utilizing other traditional marketing techniques and also SEO.
Word of Mouth Marketing- Referral marketing has always been the most influential way to generate sales. With social media, it is possible to create raving fans who will voluntarily promote your product and services to their networks of friends. Needless to say, if your service or product is poor, you may suffer the reverse benefits of this.
Brand Awareness – Branding your business using social media marketing is a lot simpler, faster, and less expensive to achieve than the traditional advertising medium or even website marketing.
Customer Retention – Blogging platforms 2.0 platforms will be the perfect places to communicate with your customers about services, special promotions, or merely to educate them on your own business. Through consistent, FREE communication, you can keep your company before your customer’s eyeballs that may in turn result in repeat business and referrals. Remember, the main element to this kind of communication is usually to be content rich; avoid these avenues to pitch your service or product.
Rapid Results – The effective and successful implementation of a social media marketing plan will create almost instant results for your business. This increase could be quantified through increased site traffic, increased lead acquisition, and ultimately increased sales. Unlike radio or TV ads, where your visitors disappear once the ads set off air, these web 2 2.0 platform benefits will continue long-term as long as the communication and updating of one’s social media marketing presence is maintained.
