For start-ups and small businesses, gaining a foothold on social media can be a daunting task. Whether you want to sell products, gain new followers or influence public opinion, people need to know who you are before you can deliver your message. Our web designers have issued some guidelines on how to use social media to build your brand.
Jason Howle
Choose platforms that support your brand image
More than half of Britons regularly use social media. Around the world, more than 50 social media platforms have in excess of 1 million users. With so many social networks, it can be difficult to decide which one is right for your brand. Facebook is still number one for promoting brand awareness to a wide demographic, while Instagram and Pinterest are good for brands that rely heavily on images. LinkedIn is good for business-related content and networking.
Provide valuable content that people want to share
You will gain a stronger reputation if you create content that people want to read and share. Social media is not a place for hard selling, so don’t force brand messaging on your followers. Articles with visual content receive more views, so use images whenever you can. Don’t be afraid to “like” competitors’ pages so you can keep an eye on the type of content they are sharing.
Social media as a search engine
While a professional website designed by companies such as Viziononline is an essential marketing tool, many businesses don’t realise that social media sites have become search engines themselves. Customers might bypass your website completely and go straight to your Facebook page to learn about the latest products or services. Make sure your pages are updated regularly so customers are informed about your latest news. You should also make it easy for them to navigate from your social media page to your website and vice versa.
Social media audiences have grown dramatically in recent times and demographics are always expanding. Brands can no longer ignore this opportunity for building brand awareness and engaging with existing and potential customers.
Social media is one of the most powerful ways to reach new leads, but it is easy to alienate people if you misuse it. To obtain the best results, it makes sense to have a solid social media strategy in place.