A number of unique and innovative marketing programs and initiatives have been implemented in the past and will continue to happen in the future. The unique thing about Social Networking is how it ties all such initiatives together nicely. Social Media is the most popular example of Unified Communications or Collaborative Communications where one can browse, chat, comment and research on a product or service in an informal atmosphere, all at the same time, without switching too many applications. In an age where consumerism is getting stronger by the day, word-of-mouth marketing commands more value than all other forms of marketing, and that is what SMM or Social Media Marketing is largely about.
Social Media Marketing can be pretty effective especially if your target group is within the age-group of 15-50, as people belonging to this age-group use social media platforms the most. These users have more dispensable incomes, are more tech-savvy, and are more brand conscious.
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- Social sites are equally popular with both sexes(Males 47% and Females 53%)
- The average age of a Facebook user is 37 years and nearly 61% of Facebook users are in the 40 to 55 yrs age-bracket
- The younger age groups of 18 to 30 years experiment with various social sites/networks and are not particularly loyal to any one site
Social Media Marketing agencies have come down to the conclusion: By analyzing the time spent by your target audience on various social sites, it’s easy to choose the most relevant site/network for you, and promote your offerings there. After that, it becomes easy to create the right buzz around your E-commerce websites/portals.
Social Media’s increasing popularity is due to the fact, you can build up a new network in a jiffy, something that marketing departments of all companies would love. Following, are some tips that will help E-commerce storefronts to leverage Social Media better:
Don’t be restricted to any one network
SMO or Social Media Optimization does not comprise of promoting just on Facebook. With newer social networks being launched all the time, it’s important to know where your target buyers are spending more time.
If you are not sure, how to go about it …
Conduct an informal survey on your E-commerce site to find out the preferred social sites of your prospects and clients. Another way by which you can trace out the preferences is to frequently browse the web for mentions of your products, services and solutions.
Define the Competitive Edge
Your top 3 competitors are the best indicators of what is happening on the social media front. Analyzing their social media marketing campaigns will give you several insights.
Learn from other industry verticals
Insights about social media need not come from your industry alone. What successful companies in other industries are doing can provide you with relevant ideas for developing your business.
Port all your existing activities on Media
Activities like running a contest, or announcing schemes like gift coupons, cash back cards, etc are easier and more inexpensive on Social sites than on other online sites. For the simple reason that – their success or failure can be assessed in a much shorter period of time. This can help you fine-tune the program quickly.
Promote less, Engage More
Social Media is more like having a telephonic conversation with your prospects or customers. Ensure you spend more time understanding the buyer’s needs and educating them about your offerings. The conversion will happen sooner or later.
