Online Marketing Blog from metrocafe311

The amount of people talking about social networks in the online marketing industry today is tremendous, but the reason they are doing so is because the benefit it may have for your Business is even more tremendous. The “next big thing” in Ireland is no longer social media; because it already is the “big thing.” As traditional advertising methods continue to see drops in their level of effectiveness, Social Media Marketing can help to resolve people’s “ad blindness.” Businesses can reap the benefits of a social media marketing campaign; and Interactive Return has been actively encouraging new and existing clients in Ireland to consider its value.

First, consider the benefits. SocialMediaTrader wrote on this topic, specific to the benefits for small businesses. In addition to developing a deeper relationship with your customer, the practical benefits may include:

• More conversions online. There will be deeper engagement than other traditional online or offline methods, with the people that are more likely to spread the message about your brand.
• Quick turnaround. Gather huge amounts of traffic very quickly, whether you’ve been bookmarked or posted on a major site or you are easily found in the Google search engine results pages (SERPs).
• Low costs.  A well-built social media marketing strategy can replace part of your traditional advertising efforts, at a fraction of the cost. However, do remember that your time should be considered a valuable cost.
• Impact on Search Engine Rankings. You can get a lot of backlinks that will benefit your rankings. Additionally, you have the opportunity to take up more “real estate” on the SERPs.
• Compatible with traditional marketing. Social media marketing does not have to run on its own. I would suggest that is run hand-in-hand with your other marketing efforts. This will extend the value of both your traditional channels and social media.
• Influencing power. The purchase decision process is largely shaped by influencers, and social media gives you the voice to influence your consumers by partaking in the conversations they may be having about your brand or your sector on social networks.
• Build a company’s authority in an industry. Similar to the power to influence, active participation within social networks will have people looking to you for authority opinion. This will put you in control of not only your brand, but of the conversations within your industry.
• Sidestepping “ad blindness.” As I mentioned already, social media marketing will provide a solution for the growing trend of people who are becoming blind to traditional advertising. If done properly, you appear less like an advertiser, and more like a real person that wants to provide a solution to a consumer’s problem.

Now, if many of you already know the power of the social networks like Facebook, Bebo, YouTube, or LinkedIn, then your next question is how do I do it? Well, the answer will depend on your brand and your objectives. This is why a successful Social Media marketing campaign will have defined clear objectives and a strategy that can be carried out across social media platforms.

Some other tips that may help when creating a social media presence online:

• Be clear about how the consumer can find you. Put links to your website or appropriate landing page. Outline the people they are connecting with, and include a phone number where they might reach those people.
• Make it about THEM. One of the most important things I’ve learned is that the social networking community doesn’t want to know who you are, unless you have something to offer. That’s why Dan Dimit at Site Reference says, “Don’t make it about YOU, make it about the solutions to THEIR problems.”
• Use the right Keywords. Setting objectives for the type of keywords you want to be found for may help you decide how to form your content. For example, Interactive Return wants this blog to be found for terms like “social media marketing” or “social media Ireland.” You can build this in as a key performance indicator of how many people are actually able to find you.
• Be part of the community. Whatever you do, remember that it’s a two-way communication channel, and that “spray and pray” is not a social media strategy that will work for anyone.
• Converge your social media activity together. Enid Burns at ClickZ outlines how blogs are more influential in creating actual conversions that social sites; but if you are linking your blog to your social networks, you are extending the value of both social channels.

The power of the social networks will only become clear when you have actively participated in them and see for yourself. But there are certain things that may indicate that the shift to online marketing is not going to stop. An article from Reuters outlines how a British “think-tank” says that “bosses should not stop their staff from social networking sites because they could actually benefit their firms.” While businesses want to know how to build relationships with consumers, the article points out that social networking can also help us build relationships with industry colleagues. This will take you one step closer to becoming an industry authority, as well as gaining valuable network contacts. While many businesses fear their ability to monitor the activity of their employees, smart businesses know that “social” networking cannot be separated from “professional” networking within today’s social media.

One could go on and on outlining the benefits and tips for a strategic social media marketing plan; but perhaps the most important thing to remember is that the value of a social network equates to the amount of time and brainpower you can devote in order to develop deeper relationships with your customers and colleagues. But if executed properly, your Big social media ideas can certainly beat those Big traditional budgets.

Emer Lawn, Online Marketing Executive, Interactive Return