The first official social media site was Six Degrees. It was established by an American businessman named Andrew Weinreich in the late ’70s. The site allowed users to upload their profiles, form friendships with other users, and conduct text-based conversations. Soon after the fledgling platform’s launch, it was followed by several blogging sites, such as Open Diary. However, it was the launch and rapid rise of Facebook’s popularity that, in 2004, first made the business world aware of the platform’s global reach and its potential as a powerful new marketing medium.
However, one should not expect that it is enough to establish a Facebook business page or post a few videos on YouTube, and those efforts will automatically attract hundreds of new customers overnight. In practice, the success of a digital marketing campaign will depend on the strategies one adopts. In the next section, we will look at some helpful guidelines.
Seven Key Elements of an Effective Social Media Marketing Strategy
The effective use of these online marketing platforms requires a strategic approach that embraces the following proven successful strategic elements:
- Know Your Audience: Online or offline, the success of any marketing campaign requires an in-depth understanding of the target audience. What are their interests, which platforms do they frequent and, more importantly, how can you find the answers?
Many businesses in South Africa rely on our web analytics services for detailed insight into their audience demographics, leveraging the information to create tailored online campaigns that resonate with their target audience and encourage engagement. Our expertise includes an in-depth understanding of each platform’s unique user base and characteristics, enabling us to tailor optimised strategies that maximise the impact of those chosen.
- Create Compelling Content: Given the varied nature of social media and their members, the content a business chooses to share will significantly impact how its brand is perceived. It is not sufficient for a blog post or Facebook advertorial piece to be informative; it must also be engaging. Good storytelling combined with high-quality graphics and video clips helps to create a more compelling narrative. For the record, we also excel in content creation.
- Keep it Up: Aristotle claimed, “One swallow does not a summer make, neither does one fine day.” Likewise, one post is unlikely to increase your sales significantly. Digital marketing requires a long-term strategy of regularly posting fresh material to ensure success, preferably when social media platforms are busiest. We use advanced scheduling tools to automate and optimise content uploads, thus ensuring campaign continuity.
- Engage with Your Target Audience: Telling is not selling, and platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram should not just be used for broadcasting. Only by posting interactive content pages that support two-way communication can one actively engage with the target audience. Active engagement will enhance customer satisfaction and increase the likelihood that the content will be shared.
- Collaborate with Social Media Influencers: One of the most striking effects of platforms like Instagram and TikTok has been the rise of influencers. These individuals have built large, active audiences of people who share their interests. Many now make thousands of dollars in commission by promoting products of interest to their followers. Finding an influencer whose followers align with the target market to support a product or service can vastly increase its exposure.
- Keep Abreast of Trends: These platforms are constantly evolving, adding new features and adopting content formats more popular with their members. It is, therefore, crucial for online marketers to monitor the platforms they use continuously to ensure they keep up to date with such changes and modify their posts as Indicated.
- Analyse and Adapt: Given the dynamic nature of social media platforms and their members’ interests, a company’s online marketing strategies need to be equally dynamic. Leveraging our comprehensive analytics services enables online marketers to track key performance indicators, engagement, and click-through and conversion rates. Reviewing these metrics identifies what’s working and what isn’t, enabling one to refine existing strategies for optimum performance.
Let XCO Manage your Company’s Social Media Marketing Strategy
XCO Group launched in 1987 and has had 37 years to develop and perfect effective strategies for
Internet marketing. We can handle everything necessary to optimise your online campaigns, from creating engaging, interactive copy to scheduling and optimisation based on reliable analytics. We invite you to contact us today to begin reaping the benefits of a compelling digital marketing campaign.
