Using Social Media To Build Brand Advocacy

As a business owner, you know that social media is a powerful tool to reach new customers and grow your business. But with so many platforms and options, it can take time to know where to start or what will work best for your business. In this blog post, I will share some social media marketing tips to help you grow your business. I'll cover everything from how to create engaging content to which platforms you should be using. And by the end of this blog, you'll have all the information you need to get started with social media marketing and see success.

Driving Better Marketing Results Through Your Social Media

Regarding social media marketing, many businesses need help in achieving actionable, positive results. This is often because the advice on growing an audience has changed recently, and most businesses approach social media without first identifying their target audience.

Often, the companies behind these social media platforms define successful content. It feels like there have been dozens of changes to the most popular social media platforms, this year alone. With companies like Meta, deciding what content to feature in-feed, like recently prioritizing Reels to keep up with TikTok's overall growth. 

As a result, brands publish content that reaches a broad audience, which in turn means it’s not targeted. To improve your results in social media, start by identifying your ideal target audience and writing content specifically for them. The goal is to create a cohesive story— weaving your brand’s message, and various marketing platforms together, to create a trusted, consistent connection with your brand’s audience. This will also help generate leads and potential sales long-term if your business warrants it.

Then, look at what type of content will most effectively reach those people. Do so, and you can increase your chances of success by focusing your content efforts on a strong foundation. When it comes to social media marketing, there is no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to using social media to reach audiences at scale. This means that you should look to repurpose your content across multiple platforms. Not only does this enable you to multiply your efforts in reaching your brand’s target audience, but you’ll also be able to target different demographics with different content.

For example, you could produce blog content for your brand and post it on LinkedIn and Twitter, while using that same link to create content on Facebook to reach new customers. You could also turn that blog content into video content and post it on YouTube and Vimeo. You will more likely reach your target audience by using multiple channels to do so.

Once you have identified which channels will work best for your business or your client’s business, you need to determine what type of content is most engaging for your target audience. The best way to do this is by conducting market research. You can use websites such as SocialBakers or BuzzSumo to explore how other businesses are succeeding with social media marketing, and then adapt their approach accordingly. Finally, ensure that your social media profiles are updated regularly with fresh content, so potential customers know about your latest developments.

Leveraging Video Content To Succeed On Social Media

Video content is becoming increasingly important across the most popular social media platforms, and businesses that don't start making and publishing video content will eventually lose out to their competitors. The future of social media is video, and almost all platforms prioritize it within their respective feeds. To compete on these platforms, businesses need to focus on video content.

Businesses must promote diversity across their entire brand so that customers feel represented. Brand inclusivity will be essential in the future of social media, and companies that focus on something other than this will eventually suffer. For example, if a company only promotes white males in their creative, then they will have a hard time succeeding in the future of social media. Making people feel welcome in a community, in part, calls for representation. Especially for organizations that have committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This commitment needs to carry over into their online communities as well.

If you want to get started with social media video content, there are some key tips that you should consider. First, make sure to have a content creation plan in place to help you get started faster and easier. Next, prioritize which platforms your videos will run on. Creating for Facebook or Instagram is different then creating video content for TikTok. On Instagram, look for Reels, where you offer raw and uncut versions of things people are interested in. For stories, shoot short-form videos, filmed vertically, and upload them right away. Finally, always keep in mind what's popular on social media when creating content- popularity usually dictates which platforms it will be most successful on.

Tips For Creating Short-form Videos

If you're considering starting to capture and create short-form videos, you must do your research and determine which platform is best for you based on your goals. There are so many different ways to go about this, so don't be afraid to experiment!

The goal of creating short-form video is to get your audience interested in your business without having to allocate significant resources to create long-form videos. YouTube is the best platform for this type of content. But keep in mind, YouTube is the long play/. Start slow with short-form videos and then look to create longer-form content on YouTube, and build up your following over time.

Creating short-form videos on social media can be a great way to get your message across without going through the hassle and time of making a long-form video. Shorts or Reels can take one to two hours to record and edit, adding captions and uploading them onto different platforms.

These types of videos can be more engaging for viewers, and they're also easier to share on social media, helping your business gain exposure. By creating authentic and engaging content that your followers can enjoy. In terms of monetization, short-form videos can be a great way to start given the prioritization of videos within feed.

Wrapping Things Up

Social media marketing is a powerful tool that can help businesses grow. However, with so many options and platforms available, it can be challenging to know where to start or what will work best for your business. By following these tips, you'll be on your way to seeing success with social media marketing.

If you’re looking for more ways to build brand advocacy for your brand or your client’s brands, check out the latest of my freebies. I created a quick infographic that contains a five-step framework for building brand advocacy on social media.