Getting social media advertising right isn’t always easy, because there is often a fundamental disconnect between what most users want from social media, and what companies want from it. Companies and marketers see social media platforms as a great opportunity to advertise to potential customers, but the reality is that most users use it primarily to stay in touch with family and friends or to stay up to date with current affairs, celebrities or entertainers.
That’s why, according to one study by GlobalWebIndex, almost two-thirds of social media users find social media ads irritating, with around a quarter actively ignoring social advertising. Conversely, 62 percent of social media users follow at least one brand – so clearly people want at least some degree of interaction with brands on social media platforms. As with many things in the world of marketing, social media advertising is about getting the balance right. Here are a few top tips for getting the best out of your social strategy:
- Authenticity – Social media users value content that is both relevant and useful to them and will reject or ignore content that is irrelevant, uninteresting or disruptive. Use social media advertising to offer content that is both of value to your target customers, and is also authentic to your brand message.
- Listening – Social media is a conversation tool, not a broadcast tool, and for companies or marketing teams that are used to more traditional interruption marketing, such as TV and radio ads, that can take some adjusting to. Social media is one of the best tools that has ever existed for listening to what your customers want – so listen and use that information to inform your social advertising
- Accessibility – Social media presents an unparalleled medium to connect and have conversations with your customers, and managing your social media account is a more important task than many businesses realize. Respond to mentions, feedback and complaints either publicly (for even greater impact) or via direct messages to customers. Once again, this connection with your customer base can provide invaluable insights that can then be used to inform your social media advertising
- Testing – Every time you place a social media ad, you should be monitoring and testing its effectiveness in terms of likes, shares, feedback and any uptick in business. Only by doing so will you be able to tell what is effective and what isn’t, and this data will be invaluable in planning future social media ads.
- Persistence – There’s no single “right way” to strategically implement a successful social media advertising campaign, and the truth is that you’re unlikely to get it absolutely right the first time. But the potential value of successful social marketing is too great to just give up; our advice is to analyze, rethink, adjust and do it all again … and again—perseverance is key.
Following these five tips will allow you to connect more successfully with customers on social media, thereby understanding what they respond to. By observing and listening to what your target audience is saying and how they interact, you will be in a position to create more successful social media ads.
