Different types of Social Media
When you think of social media the first thoughts will be Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. These three platforms dominate the networking scene and are used by 2.3 billion people a day!
These three apps are different in many ways but all share one common dominator, when used correctly they can be a marketing dream! They are fantastic but they are not the only channels that can improve your brand online, there are 7 different types of social media you can use to market your business.
Social Networks
As discussed platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are a tried and tested method of marketing. When the correct strategy is implemented these platforms pick you up and above your competitors. They are all key in building your brand awareness, lead generation and relationship building. Being so popular, it makes sense that you will get a wider audience to get your name out to the masses!
So how can social networking sites help you?
They are the quickest way for you to reach your audience and interact with them. These interactions are key for you to building relationships with key suppliers and customers.
Research is another huge advantage of these platforms. You can track the number of times a hashtag has been used, so you can interact and post hashtags that will find new customers who don’t know you yet.
Ads - Throughout all these platforms their advertisements tools are top class. They have such huge numbers using them everyday that setting up and ad and finding an audience is simple. Within minutes you can pump your content out to the right people.
Social Review Sites
The world is now rapidly moving more and more towards online shopping. Whether it’s the weekly food shop, finding that retro Brentford top you’ve always wanted or streaming the latest movie. All of these things and our decisions buying are based around knowledge. Who is this company? Where are they based? What do their reviews look like?
This is why platforms like Google Reviews, Yelp, Trip advisor and Trust pilot are vital to today's shopping habits. A customer can be lost before they’ve truly even arrived. This is why it’s imperative to be aware of these platforms. They are your best friend and your worst enemy. These platforms needs to be constantly monitored and dealt with efficiently. We always tell our clients that of course a 1 star review is not ideal but you need to think of these as an opportunity. An opportunity to try and please your unhappy customer but at the same time make your future customer feel comfortable that although there was an issue it was dealt with professionally and efficiently.
Image Sharing Sites
Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube are the main players in this market. Again all three work in entirely different ways but all are growing to become an essential marketing tool for every business.
Instagram in particular is incredibly effective in getting in front of your audience with eye catching content that will make them want more! You may be thinking your business is not that interesting and how could you make something that seems dull interesting but you can! We have worked with customers that thought that selling lightbulbs and consumer units… but they were very popular…
Discussion Forums
These are in our opinion is the most difficult marketing tool to crack. They are all very well run and are full of information that is so useful. On these sites you can see honest thoughts of products and services or insights to future opportunities and you get a good general overview of your audiences thoughts. Before the entry of popular Social Media networks players like Twitter and facebook, these forums were the places where professionals, experts and enthusiasts met and shared ideas and thoughts on their respective industries.
Reddit is a platform used by thousands but what’s great about it is split up in different sub-communities. This means you can search and engage with your customers and find out what they are asking!
Video Hosting Websites
YouTube revolutionized the way we watch, create, and think about content. Dramatic improvements in technology and connectivity over the last 10 years has helped video go to the next level and be such an important part of many industries and marketing strategies. Video hosting platforms like YouTube and Vimeo help creators put together content and share it to a platform optimized for streaming. . Use video hosting sites to:
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Community Blogs
Hosting your own blog can be hard work and you may not have enough time that’s why blogs sites like Tumblr and Medium are great!
Sometimes a image and description isn’t not enough for the message you’d like to share. These sites give you a platform to share information and connect with readers that are interested in your specific subject.
These sites are also great for back links!
Sharing Economy Sites
These sites aren’t specifically helpful for marketing plans but are still a form of social media. AIR BNB being the main player in this market. This isn’t just a great place to find a cheap holiday house, these types of app being people together from all different forms of life. Creating the opportunity of forming friendships and in today's world that is so so important.
