Should You Be Doing Social Media Marketing

Getting the word out about your product or service is essential if you want anyone to take advantage of it. You can offer the best products and services in the world, but if no one ever knows about them, then you won't be able to obtain any customers or make any profits. That's where marketing comes in.

Traditionally, marketing consisted of passing out flyers, mailing out adverts, placing ads in media channels such as newspapers, billboards, on radio stations, on television, and so on. While all these marketing channels are still valuable today, some of the best marketing platforms are social media ones.

Types of Social Networks

Almost everyone in this digital age has a computer and has some form of social networking account. Social networking allows us to stay connected to others no matter where in the world they're located. It has also proven to be an excellent way for you to find those hard to find niche market customers and stay in contact with them. There are many different social networks out there, but the most popular ones include the following:

• Facebook: Facebook is a place where people can post all about their likes, dislikes, and what's going on in their lives. It serves as a "book" to their lives where they can share news, photos, videos, recommendations, and more.

• Twitter: Twitter is a more condensed type of social networking place. Users communicate via tweets that are short snippets of their thoughts. They can also share photos and videos, but the key with Twitter is to be short, concise, and to the point.

• Pinterest: Pinterest is like a huge bulletin board where users can "pin" their favorite articles, products, photos and more for inspiration. For instance, many users follow boards about home decor ideas, costumes, their favorite movies, and tons of other topics.

• Instagram: Instagram is strictly a photo and video site where users share snapshots of their lives. As a business, you can share photographs and news of your business's products, services, and activities within the community.

While there are tons of other social networking sites out there, those are the top four. The majority of people have at least one if not all of those, so by putting information about your business, products, and services on those social networking sites and connecting with your niche markets, you'll increase the effectiveness of your marketing strategies.

The Importance of Social Media Marketing

There are countless reasons why it's essential for you to jump on the social media marketing train. First of all, since almost everyone has a social networking account, social media marketing can help drive targeted traffic to your site. Targeted traffic are people who have already expressed an interest in what you're offering, so, therefore, they'll be more likely to buy.

Additionally, social media marketing can help boost your website's SEO with external links, and it can provide you with valuable information about your audience that you might not have known otherwise. Why spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on marketing research when you have a plethora of free research right at your fingertips with social media?

Social Media Marketing Agency

Maybe you don't have the time, desire or resources to market yourself on social networks. That's when you should obtain the help of a social media marketing agency. Social media marketing agencies do the hard work for you. You simply enlist their services, and they set up everything from your social media profiles to your social media marketing strategies. You just let them know the goals that you have in mind, and they'll recommend the best way for you to achieve them.

Depending on the type of marketing package you purchase, you could even have social media marketing agencies do everything from posting news and information to interacting with customers and potential customers on a regular basis for you. Part of the effectiveness of social media marketing depends upon how solid your online presence is. Customers tend to gravitate towards companies that they feel like they can trust, and they tend to trust those companies that are active online and will take the time to listen to their concerns and address them.

Social media is the way of the future, and smart business owners have already signed up for their piece of the pie. It's not too late for you to get your share either. Contact social media marketing agencies today to find out more about how you can get started with social media marketing.

About the Author

Craig Corbel is the Vice President of Marketing at Solution Web Designs, a leading SEO, online marketing agency, and Long Island Website Designers serving small and mid-sized companies nationwide.