Social media has been struggling for over a decade to prove its place in the marketing mix – and it has certainly found it. Marketers’ confidence in the value of social media marketing is at an all-time high. The new visibility of social media could open it to higher levels – especially as management raises the bar for marketing teams in the coming year.
During a market downturn, business leaders work to keep costs under control so they can minimize raising costs. And in the marketing department, the pressure falls on team members and middle managers to clearly demonstrate the value they bring to the table. Effectively using social media can raise their value propositions.
How Social Media Is Changing
Some of the most popular social media platforms have openly ripped off features from other social media tools, which Gizmodo has called a technical version of Capture the Flag.
This is where social media professionals face problems. This game of cat and mouse has not only cost the user experience but also the common sense of social media marketers. Their work lives now constantly revolve around adapting their designs to new formats, reusing content, and figuring out when the next web change will happen. Their carefully orchestrated campaigns are suddenly undone.
How to Win at the Game
The best approach to social media marketing is to laser focus on your audience. Research and understand your audience in order to create a social media strategy tailored to their interests and needs. This will not only help you reach more potential customers, but it will also increase engagement with your current customers. One way to do this is through market research. Connect with your current customers and ask for feedback, conduct surveys, and analyze data. This gives you insight into their demographics, interests, and what they are looking for from a brand. Additionally, use social media analytics tools to track engagement, reach, and conversions. This gives you a better idea of what works and what doesn’t, allowing you to make informed decisions about which platforms to use and where to invest time and resources.
A Winning Formula
Focusing on the platforms where your audience interacts results in a variety of benefits. You’ll have more engagement with clients there, allowing you to collect data so you can improve customer service, promote your brand in your local community, or increase sales. It’s equally important that this approach allows you to address social media strategically and not waste time on platforms that don’t match your target audience or goals. For example, if your target audience is the younger generation, more time can be invested in TikTok than in a platform like Facebook.
Furthermore, with a practical plan for social media marketing, you have a budget-friendly and effective way to market during an economic downturn, continuing to prove how integral you are to your organization.
