Stark Services – “AC in the Attic”
Stark Services was an HVAC – Plumbing company in Dallas, TX and part of Church Services...
Imagine life without Facebook or Instagram. More than a decade ago, where there was no social media, brands used conventional forms of advertising to market their products to potential customers. The operative word there is “to.” They had a product and they “pushed” their messages “to” you. It was a simple equation: Our Product + You=Buy.
The only feedback brands could count on was sales reporting, phone call counts or direct mail tracking. And most of the time, that data was inaccurate.
Today, marketing is not so much about “pushing” messages on to consumers as it is about having a conversation. Thanks to social media channels people can connect friends, family and brands in engaging and personal ways we never thought possible.
There are very few brands who are not on social media. From local barber shops to Fortune 500 companies. Brands are using social media as a way to connect with consumers to build familiarity, trust, solve problems and gain insight into how they can modify their products and services to serve them better. Very few brands are doing these things using social media to their true advantage.
So here are a few hints you can take to get more from your social media efforts:
Listen First
Think of social media as a cocktail party. Let’s say you’re a neighborhood veterinarian and you get invited to a party. You don’t know anyone at first, but you heard that it’s a lot of fun. So you walk in and you scan the room looking for a group to hang out with. You grab a drink at the bar and walk around the room listening to conversations. One is talking about a Houston Texans game last weekend. Another is talking about President Trump.
You keep walking until finally your ear catching a group talking about their pets. One of the people is having a medical issue with their American Bulldog. You join in, introduce yourself and listen to her talk. When she finishes, you ask her some questions, she answers and you eventually help her get closer to solving her problem. She asks for your card so that she can call you to make an appointment.
That’s one way social media works, but before you have a conversation, you have to listen FIRST.
Use Videos
Video content has become the most popular form of content online since 2014. More than 78 percent of adults watch videos online on a regular basis. By adding and sharing RELEVANT videos to your social media pages, you can engage followers and reach out to a wider audience. You can either find existing videos to share or produce them yourself. When you share existing videos, make the share your own by posting relevant commentary that adds a point-of-view to the video. This helps you give your perspective and add to your own expert viewpoint and build you brand. You get credit for both the share and adding to the conversation.
Everyone loves a story. It’s so easy now with technology in the palm of our hands to create video content. It doesn’t’ have to be blockbuster Hollywood quality—it’s just got to be engaging and authentic.
Let’s say you’re still a vet. You can both write an article related to what pet owners should do about shedding. Then produce a video with you showing some things on the same subject.
People love stories that help them solve problems. You can be that source online.
Offer Diversified Content
Don’t be a one-trick pony because you have so much original content tied to your brand that you can share. Beyond videos, you can easily write blogs, create infographics and memes.
Keep up with the latest news and trends within your industry as well as related industries. In our vet example, don’t talk about just medical issues, you can have a point of view on other types of pet care like nutrition, where to find the best dog parks, what dog breeds are best for certain lifestyles and how to select the best dog collar for your dog. Many of these subjects aren’t directly related to veterinary practices, but they have everything to do with animals.
Social media platforms are the perfect way to connect and have conversations with your followers and build your business up as an expert in your field.
A digital marketing agency in Houston like OAK Interactive can help you create a social media marketing presence that sparks conversations and builds engagement with prospective customers.
We’re one of the leading Houston marketing agency that offers brand strategy, advertising, media planning, SEO, PPC campaigns, email marketing, and more.
Find out more about our services by calling us at (832) 321-3196.
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