Call or Tweet? The Not-So-New Rules of Marketing
Your plate is FULL.
You couldn't possibly add another snap, story or blog to your marketing plan. From client inquiries, day-to-day work requests and your traditional marketing efforts currently in rotation.
There is no time. Online? Tweet who?
The New Marketing
What if I told you...
- Responding to a tweet takes a quarter of the time than answering a phone call
- Posting content on Facebook is just as convenient as warming up your lunch in a microwave
- Publishing a blog is just as effective as sending an email to a potential prospect (maybe even more)
Social Media now plays a major role in how you support your audience along their buying journey. "57% of customers say they are influenced by positive comments about a brand online." - Business2Community
Positive comments online stem from valuable consistent content, prompt responses, and helping to make their life a little bit smoother.
Start thinking of Social Media as not only a marketing tool but a Customer Support Hub.
Here are the distinct benefits, disadvantages, and tools to keep you ahead of the competition. As well as next steps for implementing your own content marketing strategy. There is no flawless execution without a seamless plan and some insider insight.
The Creme Fraiche (Benefits on Benefits on Benefits)
You know the great thing about Creme Fraiche? It needs only two ingredients: Whip Cream & Buttermilk. Now, you can substitute the buttermilk for greek yogurt but you're not here for the recipe.
Not much difference is required for an effective content marketing execution. Content (value) + Distribution (social media) = the not-so-new Marketing.
"82% of consumers feel more positive about a company after reading custom content." (Demand Metric, 2014)
We now have to personalize content to match customer goals. Answering FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on your blog will not only make your audience feel like you understand their frustrations BUUUT also draw in organic traffic to your website through a Google search.
People will be looking for YOUR BUSINESS while you sleep. This is not a dream.
"64% of people say the customer experience is more important than price in their choice of a brand." (Gartner, 2014)
You mean...all we have to do is provide exceptional service and we won't have to twist anyone's arm to buy? Huh, what a concept. One of the ways to do this is responding to requests as soon as humanly possible. And if you can't do this in Guinness World Book record time --automate it, without it looking automated. That's where a creative Copywriter comes in handy.
"Interesting content is one of the main reasons people follow brands on social media." (Demand Metric, 2014)
Do you have something to say about the industry you're in? Do you have unoften shared tips to tell? Do you like giving behind the scene access to how you do business uniquely? Guess what! Your audience is interested in that kind of stuff. Think of it as the Real Biz Life of *enter your business name here*.
The Bad Calories (Disadvantages)
I want to be transparent with you. Everything in life has a disadvantage. Think about the healthiest person you know. At some point, they get the flu. Not even they can understand HOW. They were doing everything "right". Too much of anything will make you either fat or miserable.
After reading those stats, what could possibly make you bloated?
1. There's a Learning Curve
Can you learn this on your own and not hire out? Of course! Many business owners take this route, whether it's the time it takes to find the "right-professional-fit" or low on resources to outsource. BE WARNED: this can be overwhelming, starting from ground zero.
- Exposing the right social media tool for your business to distribute content at the right time and to the right audience
- Mastering your website and social media analytics to know who you're attracting and how to market to them
- Expertly crafting relevant content for your audience that gets found and shared
2. Can You Keep Up With Updates?
Google is always changing the rule around what gets found in their search engine.
Maybe, every 3-6 months something new is coming down the pipeline that could affect your website's traffic. And then, Social Media is its own beast. Many businesses believe linking all of their Social Media accounts together makes them a marketing pro. When actually, it makes them look unaware of the unique power each platform possesses.
You wouldn't speak English to someone who understands Spanish? Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn etc. have their own languages and the things that work best on their timeline.
It's important to note these competing dialects so the platform promotes your content rather than penalize. (Ex. sharing just the title of a blog post with the URL may work on Twitter. While on Facebook it doesn't get seen by anybody unless there is a picture or video attached.)
Which in result, those businesses have lower engagement and rarely --if ever get online inquiries or sales.
3. You Will Need To Become a Content-Making Machine
Staying top of mind is no easy feat.
Constantly coming up with new subjects and pumping out content on a schedule is not for the lighthearted. Not doing so can have you lost in search results, last to be referred and forgotten on the internet. Things move fast online. You're as good as your last piece of content. Fortunately, you can repurpose content that had high traction when first published. Here are a few ideas...(I would never leave you hanging like that).
The Utensils (Tools)
It's possible to do all of the things above without losing your mind. Thank YOU automation and templates.
Avid reader? Collect articles related to your industry in one place to refer back to. Pocket is your virtual "Save For Later" house of content to share in the future. Pull third-party articles from here when you're ready to plug it into your automated provider. I'll talk about the best one down the list.
Canva
Instead of in-mail and print ads you'll now need to become your own PR company. Images are just as important as words. Canva has ready-made templates for you to share your messaging online, create blog headers and infographics like this. It's so easy to use. There is no learning curve and you'll look like a pro as you post imagery on your timeline.
Buffer
Loooove this automated tool. It has a clean interface and again another quick learn. You can connect Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and newly Instagram. Plug your Pocket articles and Canva images into this for hands-off timeline sharing.
Last on the list...
The 5 Star Reviews (Next Steps)
Real quick and I'll let you go. I have a few recommendations, if you're serious about the not-so-new marketing ( or getting a Rosetta Stone to grasp the Social Media languages).
A. Switch Up Your Banner Header
This is the easiest way to get attention on the social media platform you choose. Keeping it new, advertising what's happening, and making it fun --will grab eyeballs fo' free. Pin posts (Twitter & Facebook feature) that you want new visitors to see first on your timeline.
B. Share a Family of Content
You've heard the saying, "There's more than one way to skin a cat." Which is a PETA red alert but nonetheless is accurate. The same goes for your content. There are endless ways to share the same blog article multiple times. When you come up with those endless ways, consider the Social Media platform's language. Hint: it will help you determine the endless content you create.
C. Get Real
Just in case of "corporate drone" break glass for the human touch. Always remember there is a human on the other end of this online web thing. Social Media has made reaching companies more accessible. These channels give you the opportunity to show the human side of your business and provide an exceptional customer experience.