How Social Media Is exploding Traditional Marketing?
A website is the main online shop front for any business. But for an increasing number of consumers it is the last port of call. Before they even get to a website, they may look for businesses on Facebook, Twitter, and be checking out products and services on chat sites and industry forums.
Businesses are now in the privileged position of being able to listen first hand to what customers are saying. Smart business owners are active on social media sites. Not in a sales pitched, predatory kind of way, but as a genuine and interested engagement. And there is much to be learned about what consumers love, hate and want.
Sites such as Blippy take the idea of Twitter specifically into the world of shopping and retail. Customers post real time reviews of what they are buying, eating, drinking. Given how much choice there is out there, these sites can be very powerful in swaying consumers towards and away from certain products and services.
Customers are looking online for what is local
While the internet is everywhere, people can still only be in one place at one time. Local search is powerful and crucial. Register your business with Places on Facebook and Google so you can be immediately found - and recommended to others by their trusted friends. The trend is towards location based services creating highly relevant, specific and personal offers.
Sites such as yelp (currently only US based) and foursquare are consumer driven, powerful centres of social media marketing. Users post reviews and recommendations. They also earn rewards points by completing certain tasks. These points give them status on the sites, but can also be redeemed for special offers and deals at registered businesses.
The notion of 'cutting coupons' is alive and well in the internet age and seems to work more effectively in the social media arena than direct from business websites. Think social sweepstakes, contests and groups deals - any activity that requires people to be social, get involved and share information with others.
A lot can be learned from big brands when it comes to social media marketing. It's worth taking a look at the Facebook pages of a company like Starbucks. Yes, it's a huge multi-national corporation, but what they're doing when it comes to social media is bringing it back to basics.
Customers can reload their Starbucks card on Facebook. They can follow Starbucks on Twitter. And they can make suggestions via the mystarbucksidea.com website. These are simple steps all businesses can take that will increase social media marketing impact and engage customers in the ways they are looking to engage.
