The world is moving towards a digital-first basis, which means the playing field is now vastly different from even just a decade ago. The Covid-19 pandemic caused a shift in SME�??s marketing strategies, with almost 40% of SMEs in Malaysia now leveraging digital platforms to communicate with consumers and drive sales.
Now with an anticipated increase in the number of smartphone users estimated to reach 29.46 million and the rise of 22.55 million active users on the internet, it is inevitable now that nearly everyone�??brand and consumer alike�??has an online presence of some kind.
If you have not dipped your toes in the social media scene, it�??s imperative that you start as 77% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand they follow on social media over one they don't. Learn more about the importance of using social media to boost brand presence by watching our YouTube video below or read on to start growing your brand presence on social media today!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq4HjBnM-qQ
#1 Content Marketing
This marketing strategy is used to attract, engage, and retain an audience by creating and sharing relevant articles, videos, podcasts, and other media. This approach establishes expertise, promotes brand awareness, and keeps the brand top of mind. However, creating effective content can be overwhelming. Hence, we have broken down some pointers for you:
1. Take time to know your audience
Know your audience so deeply to the point where you understand what catches their attention and pair that with content that provides value. That�??s your recipe for success. When you manage to connect with your audience on this level, it helps you get to the core of their needs, further addressing their pain points. That way, you can better serve them with your product or service.
2. Work on offering solutions to problems
Another alternative to solely pitching your products all the time is to work on putting forth your brand as a solution provider. It gives your company an authority figure and potentially earn a lifelong customer. Also, when you provide helpful information, it benefits a wider range of audience, which would then yield higher benefits and earn customers in the long term.
3. Let storytelling play a role in your content
Most of the well-known and respected people on social media are amazing storytellers. This is because, storytelling resonates with people due to its natural, engaging form of communication, which sometimes can be extremely relatable. Storytelling proves to be effective in today�??s age where you have only a few seconds to grab the audience�??s attention; engage in what you have to say, and connect them to who you are on a more personal level.
#2 Social Media Marketing
This might be one of the most familiar forms of marketing. However, Social media marketing requires an evolving strategy to successfully reach audiences and grow your brand presence. This includes
1. Consistency in posting and brand identity
Consistency in posting
Growing your social media presence is all about visibility. If audiences don�??t see your postings, they will forget about you. A way to remain top of mind is to be active on your social media platforms and post consistently. Instagram algorithm values users that post consistently so staying consistent with a schedule gives you the habit of putting out content while ensuring your audience stays engaged.
Consistency in brand identity
When it comes to consistency, it speaks more than just your posting schedule. It also encompasses your brand as a whole. Remain a consistent brand identity across all your marketing channels to remain recognizable to audiences and stray away from confusion. Ensure your content is always instantly recognizable by potential or current audiences by building a memorable brand identity by capturing the same look and feel across all platforms.
2. Engaging with audiences and maintaining your profile
Audiences like it when you engage with them. Whether through Reactive or Proactive engagement. Reactive engagement means responding to their engagement by replying to their comments, messages, or reposting stories you�??ve been tagged in. It shows you care about them and it humanizes your brand.
Whereas Proactive engagement means you start engaging with audiences by starting a conversation. Being proactive in seeking out conversations on social media will grow your brand presence as you draw audiences' attention to your brand. When you frequently seek opportunities to chat with your audience, it increases your conversion rate and improves your social media presence too!
Though, being proactive does a better job to reach new audiences as you are putting your brand at the forefront rather than others reaching out to you. Actively putting your brand out there may not only boost your engagement rate, but it helps with targeting and reaching out to the right users on social media.
#3 Influencer Marketing
Social media is now more than just a platform to share about your day-to-day. It has become a platform for creating a community, a group of fans, where people can now be brand ambassadors and share their thoughts on a brand or service. Influencer marketing deems effective because of the high amount of trust that influencers have built among their followers, and recommendations from them serve as a form of social proof to your brand�??s potential customers.
With the changing of times, brands are now adapting to the new landscape where they are shifting their strategies to focus on nano and micro-influencers for higher engagement and ROI. A report done by Upfluence shows that micro-influencers receive higher engagement than larger influencers. It is also proven that 61% of people are most likely to trust information from people they are able to relate better compared to well-known influencers or celebrities.
Audiences will always trust and engage with smaller influencers as they know their audience better, therefore creating a more authentic bond among their followers. Hence why Partipost advocates nano influencers and champions word-of-mouth marketing. If you are ready to start connecting on a deeper level with your audience and build an authentic and long-term network with everyday people, click the button below and start running campaigns with us!?�
Start converting loyal customers to brand advocates today
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