The year 2018 might have only just begun, but every savvy marketer knows that the best businesses never sleep. So, if you’re committed to staying ahead of your competition in the fast-paced digital world, it’s vital that you update your marketing strategy for 2018.
Whether you’re still a budding business or already well-established on Twitter, chances are you’re still not doing everything possible to catapult your company into customer’s minds and newsfeeds. That’s why we’ve put together this list of five ways to expand your company’s online presence in 2018.
- Join an Online Business Directory
One extremely easy way to catapult your business to new heights is to join an online business directory, like Crunchbase. These business directories allow you to analyze and test market trends, provide up-to-date information about your company for stakeholders, generate leads and — most importantly— connect more easily with potential investors. A perfect example can be seen on the Talus Payments page. Notice that the company has listed all the pertinent information to attract investors in one place, including social media accounts and employee figures. Having your business on an online directory will also improve your SEO ranking.
- Monitor Your Metrics
To extend your company’s online presence, you first need to set a benchmark. There are a number of tools available to monitor your social media metrics, from basic inbuilt tools like Facebook Insights, to more complex systems like Hootsuite and Sprout Social. Once you’ve determined the level of reach and visitor engagement your business has achieved, you can put in place new attainment goals and a social media plan to meet these. Metrics can also help you identify which of your posts are attracting the most engagement, making it easier for you to reproduce content that appeals to your audience.
- Operate More Social Media Profiles
There is no set rule on how many social media profiles a business should operate. However, in 2017, approximately 70% of US brands used Instagram for marketing purposes. Additionally, over 60 million businesses operated a Facebook page. How many social media pages you operate depends on your capacity. It’s always better to post high-quality content on fewer platforms than to post sporadic, uninspiring content on a wide range of social networking sites. Facebook and Twitter should generally be your staples but, if your business is highly visual (such as a clothing label), a platform that champions images, like Instagram or Pinterest, may be more appropriate.
Do your research (using your metrics) to determine which social networking sites your key demographics use. For example, if you’re marketing a mobility aid for the elderly, you need to know that less than 10% of the over-50 set use auto-delete apps like Snapchat!
- Collaborate with Influencers
In the past, it was our close friends and family we sought to influence our purchasing decisions. In 2018, we trust influencers, like Mark Fischbach (Markiplier) or Kathleen Fuentes (KathleenLights) to guide us. Using this knowledge, you can reach out to influencers and encourage them to collaborate with your brand via a joint campaign or sponsorship. Not only will this instantly increase your potential pool of customers, but it will also keep your brand topical, relevant and trustworthy.
- Create Topical Content
You can know all the marketing tricks in the book but, at the end of the day, content will always be king. If you’re struggling to develop an online presence, take a look at the content you’re posting on social media. Is it topical? Are you using appropriate keywords and good SEO practices?
What about promotion? Are you flooding users with self-serving posts? One way to avoid this is by adhering to the 4-1-1 ratio, developed by TippingPoint Labs. It states that, in order to keep followers engaged, you should post four pieces of relevant original content from other users and retweet one relevant tweet for every self-promoting post you make. This prevents your feed from becoming full of repetitive sale links and gives fans a chance to see more of your brand’s personality shine through.
With a new year just beginning, it’s the perfect time to reboot your social media strategies. By following these five simple steps, you’ll be able to quickly and efficiently expand and maximize your company’s online presence.