Social media marketing is actually a big deal
when it comes to marketing a product, brand or service in Nigeria because of
the rapid increase of internet/web users all around the country. The digital
world has made social media advertising an absolute must for many companies and
organizations. While it is a primary way to get your name out there and attract
thousands of clients/customer, if used wisely and strategically it is a very
power marketing tool.
According to Wikipedia “Social media marketing
is the process of gaining website traffic or attention through social media
sites.”
Social media marketing programs usually center
on efforts to create content that attracts attention and encourages readers to
share it across their social networks. The
resulting electronic word of mouth (eWoM) refers to any statement consumers
share via the Internet (e.g., web sites, social networks, instant messages,
news feeds) about an event, product, service, brand or company. When the underlying message spreads
from user to user and presumably resonates because it appears to come from a
trusted, third-party source, as opposed to the brand or company itself, this form of marketing results in
earned media rather than paid
media.
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Increased Inbound Traffic: if you’re assuming that social media is not suited to your
business or brand or that you don't have the time, try logging on any social
media to see what your competitors are up to, and if your competitors are
already involved that means your
potential social media traffic and conversions are already taken. And if
somehow your competition is not involved on social media, there’s even more of
a reason to get started, the field is open. Without social media, your inbound traffic
is limited to people already familiar with your brand and individuals searching
for keywords you currently rank for. Every social media profile you add is
another path leading back to your site, and every piece of content you
syndicate on those profiles is another opportunity for a new visitor. The more
quality content you syndicate on social media, the more inbound traffic you’ll
generate, and more traffic means more leads and more conversions.
Brand/product
personality and Loyalty: Updating messages everyday can help
develop people’s perception of your brand/product’s personality very quickly.
Developing your business using
social media allows your customers to connect and interact with your product on
a more personal level. If you already have an established brand, social media
might be an opportunity to further develop your brand and give your business a
voice. Trust me, social media is where your customers are; Facebook, twitter, instagram aren’t merely domains
filled with teenagers or young adults, they now attract all demographics and
ages.
Search-engine Discoverability: Your website's ranking
in the search results of various search engines can sometimes be
affected by the size and influence of your social network. As your
social following grows, your visibility in search engines may also increase.
This is a common search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. As such, being active on social media
could act as a “brand signal” to search engines that your brand is legitimate,
credible, and trustworthy.
Word of mouth/viral marketing/networking: Social media can
spread your offers and messages amongst thousands of people very quickly. And
the best part is that it’s your customers spreading them for you. Networking
can be a valuable way to exchange ideas with like-minded people to improve the
way you do business. Using online networking sites can also be valuable to your
business, often for the purpose of knowledge sharing and word-of-mouth
referrals.
Customers
Service: By
listening and participating in customer’s online conversations you can find out
more about their challenges, likes and dislikes and preferences and by so
doing, attract new customers and maintain old ones. It’s all about relationship building, it also
helps manage crisis. The one-to-one dialogue you can have in social media makes
it a powerful platform for building a closer affinity with customers and brand
loyalty. People don’t rely on email and the phone to get their questions
answered anymore. They’re now posting messages in blogs and forums to get them
resolved. For example, if a
customer complains about your product on Twitter, you can immediately address
the comment, apologize publicly, and take action to make it right. Or, if a
customer compliments you, you can thank them and recommend additional products.
It’s a personal experience that lets customers know you care about them.
Reduced marketing
cost: Creating profiles and
pages on Facebook and Twitter is quick, easy and free to do. According to Hubspot, 84% of marketers found as little
as six hours of effort per week was enough to generate increased traffic. Six
hours is not a significant investment for a channel as large as social media.
If you can lend just one hour a day to developing your content and syndication
strategy, you could start seeing the results of your efforts (depending on your
goals, of course). Start small and you’ll never have to worry about going over
budget, once you get a better feel for what to expect, you can increase your
budget and increase your conversions correspondingly.
Recruitment:
Some organizations use social media to advertise vacant positions. Job
networking sites like LinkedIn, Jobberman and Careerslip are dedicated to the
job market and can help you use networks to attract skilled people.
Social media marketing, when done right, can lead to more
customers, more traffic, and more conversions, and social media as far as the
Internet is concern is here to stay.
If if you are thinking of advertising in Nigeria,
please contact PoiseMedia Communications at www.poisemedianigeria.com or check our contact at the bottom of this blog.
We can help you identify your market and reach them. We apply both BTL and ATL
strategies to project our clients’ brands to the right audience. We can do same
for you at very affordable price.
Lilian Izuorah
Business
Development Officer
PoiseMedia Communications Ltd
