When managed correctly, social media marketing is one of the most powerful brand-building tools out there. Gone are the days when social media could be managed as a side project on the weekends. It has finally come into its own as a very effective marketing tool and it will serve as an integral part of the digital marketing strategies of countless businesses going forward. The management of social media can now be considered a full-time job and to explain further, we will take a look at some of the strategies and engineering that go into building healthy social interactions. Building a Brand When using social media, building a reputation and brand requires the knowledge of how to build relationships with an audience. One also needs to know how to target those who may be the most interested in your offerings, and then interactions with others need to be encouraged. What can be very frustrating is when no one ends up being exposed to your hard work after spending hours and hours attempting to develop a social presence. To support a healthy social media campaign, having an active team who has the resources and experience to develop your business's presence is required. From there, an active and positive community can be built for your brand, which should then build up a loyal customer or client base. The Costs One of the most important items businesses look at when considering a social media campaign is the numbers. After all, profitability is the point of marketing one's goods and services. When hiring a social media agency, you aren't just hiring one person who will take care of your needs when they happen to have the time. You are most likely hiring a team with diverse backgrounds, strengths, experience and even salaries. When you look at the numbers more closely, you may often find that you;re hiring a team of experienced professionals for the same cost as hiring one in-house marketer. Thoughts then may turn to the idea that hiring an "entry-level" person will suffice. The problem with this idea in today's age is that valuable talent - when it comes to social media especially - comes with experience. It is essential to hire someone who is used to adapting to fields with constantly changing trends. Another danger of hiring internally is that other tasks can get dumped on this person, and then the focus that you originally planned to have on your social networks is diluted. And don't forget additional costs of researching and training. Increased Traffic When it comes to generating traffic, may decision-makers think immediately of SEO and SEM. While these two areas are extremely valuable in an online marketing program, social media can not be overlooked. Platforms such as Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter can expose your business to a vast audience that you would have most likely not tapped into via organic or paid campaigns. A social media manager is one who will have the strategies, resources and experience to accomplish these goals. Social Media Is More Than Numbers There are many services available where you can pay to amass thousands of followers, Likes, etc. However, you are doing your business a disservice if all you are looking for are the numbers. For instance, if your business serves a county in Maryland but you gain 50 new followers from California, how will their engagement and behavior affect your brand in a positive way? The short answer is… it won't. The real "sauce" is building truly organic social media engagement, as that will lead to more followers on its own. Advantage Over the Competition Still in its relative infancy, social media marketing is a channel that many businesses have yet to adopt. For many businesses in many areas, the hiring of a marketing manager can immediately gain a competitive edge. Even search engines like Google are now recognizing social media in their ranking factors, meaning that popular brands on sites such as Facebook and Twitter may boost your search ranking, giving you another edge over the competition. About the Author Ben Wayne writes for Vegau Internet Marketing, and digital marketing agency in Maryland.
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