It is clear that social media has increased dramatically in the last few years, especially in the health business. and that with more than 800 million active users, the number of Facebook users is easily more than double the population of the United States!
Its growth has been stellar and today, millions of people are posting personal and business information online more than ever before. It happens at lightning speed with thousands of posts, tweets and uploads that occur every hour.
A recent study by the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) commissioned by Sensis Pty Ltd (May 2011, p. 10) shows that “62% of Australian Internet users use social networking sites, many of which are visited every day and most at least a few times a week. ” Not surprisingly, with millions of potential buyers from around the world using these sites, every day, many businesses have decided to incorporate social media marketing into their marketing mix.
However, it is also important to understand how these sites are used and what is involved in maintaining or securing your business presence on these sites. Your online tracking can last a long time so do not underestimate how this might affect your product’s perception in the market place. Spend time thinking about whether the social media is good for your business.
1. Seek first to understand – It is very important that you understand the basics of how social media really works and how it is used. What do people and businesses do with social media? What are the results? Some of you may be thinking, how do I do this? Maybe you can consider trying it yourself by setting up a personal account, then checking out some features, or getting a trusted friend to show you his account and guide you. There are also many resources and ‘doing’ stuff on the Internet about social media, which you can start searching on Google or YouTube for a particular topic of interest and watch video tutorials for information.
2. Understand your purpose – What is your purpose in using social media? What do you hope to gain from your business by using it? It is very important that you indicate your intention to engage in social media (or any other marketing activity for that matter). You need to find out why you are participating. What do you expect to achieve? Do you just want to build brand awareness, interact with your customers or identify new marketing opportunities? Remember to be realistic about what you believe you can achieve.
3. If you decide to join a social networking site, which sites are most appropriate? – Of the many social networking sites available, which ones are best for your business? Think about where your target audience can engage online, and think about the time and resources you will be able to truly commit to maintaining and maintaining your site presence. Which ones are best for you? You may find that some people are better than others.
4. Quality Content – When deciding whether a social media platform is right for your business, consider carefully the amount and quality of information you want to share online. Keep in mind that it will probably stay there a long time, so you need to make sure it contains accurate and reliable information that is important to your target audience. It has to go with it, otherwise people will not read it.
There are a number of reasons to engage in social media including:
It’s expensive. Many accounts on various social networking sites are free to set up and get followers on Instagram. So download Top Follow APK a mobile-based application to get free Instagram followers.
The world’s largest audience.
It allows you to get feedback in real time and connect with customers in real time.
Provides your business with an additional marketing channel, raising awareness about your product, product or organization.
However, social media presents some barriers to businesses that need to be scaled:
Time and Resources – you should be willing to devote the time needed to come up with new content. It is therefore important to consider whether you have the time and resources to effectively manage your social media presence.
Providing Product Control – Gives more control over your marketing efforts and effectively your product to your target audience. They will have the ability to comment on posts or other content and you need to prepare yourself for both positive and negative comments. However, even if you do not own a company Facebook page, it is important to remember that nothing can stop customers from posting comments on their blogs or other social media platforms about your products and services.
ROI Measurement – The introduction of web tracking tools and statistics also brought the ability to easily measure the success of specific online advertising and advertising campaigns. However the nature of the social media means that you may not always be able to see the results of your campaign right away. Your social media efforts may allow your customers to ask more questions or continue to engage with your product or product, but like many other relationship-building activities, it takes time to build brand loyalty and resell, your social media activities will not have an immediate impact on sales there has been a bend.