Social Media advertising is an expanding component of the IMC Program. This week and next week we will be looking more in depth at the digital options available to the advertising team. Jump ahead and read pages 485 beginning with Paid Searches through the bottom of page 487 including Contextual Ads.
Identify your company from Dropbox Assignment 1
- Choose 3 social media platforms that will fit with your company, such as, but not limited to, the social media identified in Figure 15-5 Social Media Landscape. Do not choose Google+ as it is shut down. (You will be building on this assignment next week.)
- Explain why you believe each option is the best option for your company.
- Choose three of the following and explain how you would utilize Pay Per Click, Search Engine Optimization, Behavioral Targeting, Retargeting, Contextual Advertising, or Native Advertising to drive traffic in your plan.
Full Answer Section
Here are a few factors to consider when choosing social media platforms:
- Your target audience: Who are you trying to reach with your social media marketing? What are their interests? What social media platforms do they use?
- Your goals: What do you want to achieve with your social media marketing? Do you want to increase brand awareness? Generate leads? Drive sales?
- Your budget: How much time and money do you have to invest in social media marketing?
Once you've considered these factors, you can start to narrow down your choices. Here are a few social media platforms that are a good fit for many businesses:
- Facebook: Facebook is the most popular social media platform in the world, with over 2 billion active users. It's a great platform for reaching a wide audience and connecting with potential customers.
- Twitter: Twitter is a great platform for sharing news and updates, and for engaging with customers in real time. It's also a good platform for promoting your brand and generating leads.
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a social media platform for professionals. It's a great platform for networking with potential customers and employees, and for sharing industry news and insights.
In addition to these three platforms, there are many other social media platforms that you may want to consider, such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat. The best way to choose the right platforms for your company is to experiment and see what works best for you.
Here are some additional tips for choosing social media platforms:
- Consider your industry: Some industries are more suited to certain social media platforms than others. For example, if you're in the fashion industry, you might want to focus on Instagram, while if you're in the B2B industry, you might want to focus on LinkedIn.
- Track your results: Once you've chosen your social media platforms, it's important to track your results so you can see what's working and what's not. This will help you to optimize your social media marketing strategy and get the most out of your efforts.
- Be consistent: One of the most important things to remember about social media marketing is that it's a marathon, not a sprint. You need to be consistent with your posting and engagement if you want to see results.
Conclusion
Choosing the right social media platforms for your company is an important decision. By considering your target audience, your goals, and your budget, you can narrow down your choices and find the platforms that are right for you. With a little effort, you can use social media to connect with customers, promote your brand, and grow your business.