5 Reasons Why Social Media Management is Worth the Investment

Picture this; you have the permits, license, and name registration ready for your new business. Your product or services are ready to be purchased by your target audience, your website is launched, and your social media platforms are created… You have it all ready to go, right?. Not quite.

It’s time to invest in social media management! Your presence online is not only to have a website, an Etsy shop, and a couple of social media platforms. You must dedicate time, energy, and money to create a consistent strategic message that reflects your business in all aspects. 

Still not convinced about the investment? Let’s break it down into five reasons why you should invest in social media management:

 

  1. Social media is perfect for redirecting traffic to your website.

If your goal is to have more traffic to your website, then social media is essential. Let’s put it simply, SEO is like the highway. Social media is like road signs to guide people to your website; you can track this using metrics and statistics and even incorporate google analytics into your reports! Because you ARE taking a look at the monthly reports, right?…

 

     2. Social Media Reports:

Do you know how to read the metrics for your different social media platforms? Do you know what awareness, impressions, reach, ROI, and KPI mean for your business? Do you know how to translate that into a strategy to elevate your business?

If you answered “No” to any of these questions, you need help in social media management!

Social media metrics can provide detailed information about your followers and your target audience. With this data, you can create an effective social media strategy that takes into account their social media habits and how they interact with you. Additionally, social media metrics can give you insights into overall brand sentiment. By understanding what people are saying about you online, you can take steps to improve your reputation. In short, social media metrics are essential for any business that wants to succeed online.

 

     3. Chances are that your audience is present on one or more social media platforms!

Social media is great for engaging with your audience but is also an amazing tool to help your clients and provide customer service. They also expect solutions and useful information on your platforms, so it’s important to include tips, FAQs, and “how to” related to your industry, products, or services.

You also have to make this type of content eye-catching and trendy to stay current and give your audience a reason to interact with you!

 

    4. Social media influences buying behavior.

The power of social media is undeniable. According to a recent poll by Harris Interactive, 68% percent likelihood that Millennials will purchase something after seeing an advertisement or shared content from a friend, family member, or their favorite influencer on their go-to platform!

 

    5. People are likely already talking about your brand on social media.

You can participate in conversations about your company, brand, or product by setting up Mention alerts. You’ll be able to monitor all of the latest discussions related to these topics on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, where there’s a high chance that potential customers may have already discussed their thoughts regarding them!

 

A strong social media presence is essential for any business that wants to stay relevant and competitive in today’s market. But with the ever-changing digital marketing landscape, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest trends and best practices. That’s where our team at The AD Leaf comes in. We are social media specialists who are passionate about helping businesses grow. We will work with you to develop a personalized social media strategy that will help you achieve your goals. And because we stay up-to-date on all the latest changes in the social media world, you can rest assured that your campaigns are in good hands. So don’t stress out about your social media marketing – contact us today and let us take care of it for you!

3 Common Issues with your Social Media

3 Common Problems and Solutions for Your Social Media

Preach it! Social media is first and foremost; what? Social! Second, it is layered and complex.

Often small businesses, companies, and brands jump online with great enthusiasm. They gather their product photos and service videos and fill in those ‘about’ sections. Then it’s on to writing captions, tweets, and figuring out what hashtags are for.

Social Media presence? Check!

 Everyday struggles and misunderstandings we often hear:

  1. “But I have 6,000+ followers; how come no one is coming into my store?”

Problem:
Generally, the first question is ‘How did you attain said followers?’
Then the next question is, ‘when was the last time you saw them engaging with your content?’ 

We often ask, ‘who is your target audience?’ And you can’t just say ‘people who want to come to my store.’

Worst case scenario:

  • You bought those followers.
  • They have never engaged with your content.
  • You don’t understand what a target audience is.

If this is you – you don’t have to feel embarrassed. You are not alone. These are widespread issues. 

Solution: Here is a metaphor for you. Imagine you drop by a networking party, and everyone there is on your follower list. The location is your business, whatever that may look like. People are all in the same room but gathered in groupings according to shared interests and for this scenario, let’s just say you only have 15 minutes to spend there. 

 Ask yourself:

  • Are my friends and family there? If not, have you invited them? – Invite your friends and family to like and follow your social media platforms. They can often be your biggest advocates!
  • Are people there because they want to be? Essentially are they being paid to be interested in you? This is why fake followers or bought followers are not that great. At first glance, it looks like you are popular. But, we all know that popularity contests are not always what they seem. People will read the room, and it will soon become evident that no one is interested.
  • Do I want to make an announcement to the whole room OR have a few brief, poignant conversations with a few of those that have decided to show up? Think about what would grow deeper connections at this moment, keeping each individual connected. Sometimes that is sending a private direct message on Instagram to a new follower. “Thank you for following!” or share a post about the most recent charity your company is an advocate for supporting. Better yet, answer the most common question everyone seems to have when they call your location.
  • There are so many genuine ways to interact with followers in a personalized way that keep them as followers, keep them engaged, and eventually lead them to your store. Loyalty is built moment by moment and post by post, not all at once.

2. “I keep getting private messages in my Instagram offering to repost my content, or an account has offered to help me grow my follower count multiple times.”

Problem: The only comments you are getting are from these random accounts that seem to have thousands of followers, but they are all very obscure and odd.

Solution: Ignore and delete them. Most of those “dm us for (blank)” are scams. These scenarios should always go without saying – If someone is offering you something for free on the internet – ask ‘what’s the catch?’

3. Post Frequency:

“Our team posts every day! Sometimes 3 or 4 times a day. Why doesn’t anyone interact with our content?”

Our response: Please tell me you mean to say you are posting your stories on Facebook or Instagram. Otherwise, you are inundating your audience and crowding their news feeds. Many of them that continued to follow may have likely hidden your content to get a break. 

Or, on the other side of the spectrum – “I post maybe once a month or two, at least to let people know we have sales. But we don’t have many followers.” Usually, this is followed up with “I just don’t have the time to post that frequently.”

Problem: We get it. The world of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and TikTok is becoming more layered and complex to navigate with every phone and App upgrade. No wonder there are college courses and specialized fields made for it. 

Solution: For small businesses, at the very least on most platforms, you should be sharing content four times a week. Each piece of content should have the goal of brand awareness and engagement. Note: Not just promotions or calls to action. 

Can you see the common thread?

In the Social Media world, you cannot talk at your audience or show up when it’s most convenient. Most of your audience is not ready to buy. The goal of your social platforms is that when they are ready to buy, your brand is at the top of their minds. There is a lot to know, much to learn (always), consistently so much to do. 

If you see these 3 common social media issues and say “that’s me!” or you are doing your best to conquer these mountains and still not seeing results – you know whom to call! We got you covered! With our broad scope of social media professionals here at The AD Leaf, we’d be delighted to serve your company through your social media platforms. Don’t have them yet? We can advise you on the best ones to use and set them up for you. We can do your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, and more!  Let’s collaborate to see your platforms, rise, come alive, and thrive! Give us a call at (321) 255-0900, or complete our contact form

Isn’t social media just regular marketing on an online platform?

Regardless of your company focus, product, or service, we can agree that marketing is a key element to long-term growth and success. We’ve seen it implied and often heard it said… “social media marketing is just like regular marketing, but through *insert online platform here*. Right?”

‘Regular marketing’, otherwise known as traditional marketing and social media marketing, strives to build awareness and engage your audience around your brand. They have both practical applications and similarities but also reflect a few glaring vital differences.

 

Traditional Marketing:

Traditional marketing is the old-school of the two because until the late 90’s many of us didn’t have online access. We have learned to recognize and leaned into the world of traditional marketing. Of course, who can think of Times Square without the cascading lights from all of the billboard screens? The grocery store check-out line has a chorus of famous faces calling us to read the magazines they adorn, in the hope of us also coming across sales pitches in the pages. Our families make memories together, watching our favorite TV series or the big Superbowl game that challenged our beliefs… but of course, we still talk about the memorable and mundane ads that were woven in.

 

Points of Traditional Marketing to consider:

  •  One-way communications – Normalized visual and audible sales pitches, talking at an audience with minimal interaction. 
  • Generally impactful, often entertaining memorable experience
  • Infrequent but tangible start to finish.
  • Examples of traditional marketing include, but are not limited to:
    – Outdoor – murals, billboards, bus/taxi/semi-truck wraps, posters
    – Print – magazines, newspapers, flyers
    – Window display and signage
    – Broadcasting – TV and radio
    – Direct Mail – catalogs, postcards
    – Telemarketing – phone and text messages.

Social Media Marketing

Social Media Marketing, on the other hand, yes, depends on those online platforms that we have all mysteriously found ourselves connected with, to some dedicated degree or another. Most of us have our phones loaded with apps, all notifying us of updates from our friends, family, and ongoing conversations. That relationship, depth, and integration into our everyday lives have become more apparent. 

Did you know that as of July 2021, 295 million people were on social networks across the US? That is about three-quarters of our country’s population! Even grandma has an account on Facebook. Instagram, as well as Facebook, and Twitter are expecting growth in the coming years.

Social media lives up to its name. It is, first and foremost – social! Entire communities are being built online around support groups, hobbies, interests, and advocacy topics. Interestingly, although these platforms connect us with people we love and other like-minded individuals, we are also relating with brands and the people behind them like never before. We have become comfortable with the phrases ‘follow us’ or like or comment below. There is an array of new terms to know; terms like ‘engagement’, ‘reach’, ‘impressions’, ‘clicks’, ‘leads,’ ‘organic content’, and the ever-changing ‘algorithm.’ 

Now brands are no longer only competing with each other for a commercial spot-on primetime TV. They are competing with pictures of the grandkids on their first day of school (oh! They are getting so big!). They are completing your nephew’s engagement announcement (what! He’s getting married!) and other pivotal personal news. This new competition for attention is challenging for brands but a fantastic opportunity!

Points of Social Media Marketing to consider:

  • Two-way communication – quick online connections and consistent conversation
  • Brand loyalty – Following brands, the faces behind them, and the values they represent, building credibility and trust.
  • Easily integrative – Website traffic
  • Targeted Audiences – Each platform has an audience that prefers it and tools to use to target audiences based on a variety of criteria strategically.
  • Popular Examples of social media platforms include, but are not limited to:
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest

 The challenge is that the social media sphere is ever-changing with trends, changes to platforms, new platforms, and marketing strategies. If done well, brands that connect with us build long-lasting dedicated relationships with their audiences like never before. The brands that tend to do this best? The ones that create organic content well. Organic content is what makes your brand relatable, approachable, and authentic. These take being innovative while consistently and frequently engaging your audience and followers.

 

Beyond being social

Social media is integrative and just one part of digital marketing.

We all know that social media is not the only digital marketing avenue available. Of course, what do they do if someone gets to know your brand and wants to know more? Go to the website link of course! “Social media is an excellent tool that businesses can utilize that will increase their search engine rankings. Google and Bing prioritize businesses with a robust social media presence. Social Media should be part of your digital marketing arsenal to capture leads but should never be the sole driving force” – Robyn Lee, our Director of Operations. Who doesn’t want that for their brand? 

Here at the AD Leaf, our social media team is always ready to innovate; creating meaningful campaigns, building long-term connections on behalf of the brands we represent. While you’re here please feel free to follow us on our socials as well. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn… We hope to see you there!