How Social Media Can Help Your Marketing Efforts

If you’ve been reading and following this series of articles, you now have an optimized website, numerous correct online citations and a blog full of valuable content. If you just stopped there, you’ll probably generate a fair amount of leads every month.

What Is Social Media Marketing’s Role in Lead Generation?

Over time, your website will begin to move up in Google’s search results. Eventually, you’ll be on page one and perhaps even in Google’s “3-pack.”

Maybe you want (or need) leads faster – like tomorrow! Listen, if you’ve got no business and need leads that fast, my advice is cold calling or hitting the bricks and hustle for business. Most people aren’t up for that, though.

However, if you want more quality leads, coming to you in a more consistent basis, you need to reach out to your potential customers spend time online. Today, people hangout on Google & Google Business Profile, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms.

To learn more, read this article from Neil Patel “How to Make Social Media Marketing Work for Your Business“.

Know, Like and Trust

When someone is ready to buy the service you provide, they’ll find you on Google or directory sites like Yelp. But they get to know you on social media. That’s where you share helpful tips, How-To videos, useful images or diagrams, and just plain old information about what your company is all about and what it does in your community.

You see, people don’t like to buy from just anybody. They prefer to buy from someone they know, like and trust. Social media is where you can cultivate a relationship with your potential customers. Then, when they’re ready to buy, you’re the first one they call.

Consistency Equals Recognition

Unfortunately, most businesses don’t have a social media marketing plan. If they have any social media accounts, they were probably setup by whomever had time (and the inkling) to bother creating it.

Worse yet, no thought was ever given to what should be posted to what account or how often content was to be published.

Branding and brand consistency is very important here. Logos, colors and even special offers should be similar across all your social media accounts in order to build credibility with your customers.

Otherwise, people tend to get confused. They think, “Who am I dealing with here?” Remember, confused people don’t buy – they move on.

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It all comes down to creating a “system” for creating and sharing content suitable for each social media account you have.

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Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail

The first thing to do is make sure all your social media sites resemble your website. That means they should all have a similar “look and feel” – colors, logos, graphics, etc. That way, wherever potential customers find you online, they receive a consistent message about your company – you’re stable, you’re credible, you’re able to help them.

Next, you need to establish a publishing schedule for all your social media accounts. How often will you share one of your website articles on Facebook or Google Business Profile? When will you create a new video for YouTube? What pictures will you share on Instagram? How much “tweeting” can you handle?

“Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.” – Donald Berwick

It all comes down to creating a “system” for creating and sharing content suitable for each social media account you have. You must:

1. Develop a relationship with potential customers
2. Help them to know, like and trust you
3. Consistently provide them with useful content

If you decide not to establish that kind of system, you’re deciding to ignore one or more segments of your potential customer base.

That’s leaving money on the table that your competition will gladly pick up.