A great many organisations, in New Zealand and around the world, have been using social media for business purposes more effectively, tapping into tools such as Facebook and Instagram, to market their services and to communicate more effectively with their customers.
For example, the Humane Society of New Zealand‘s Facebook page scored many tens of thousands of engagements thanks to plenty of posts of animals needing TLC and the occasional meme like this:
On a more commercial basis, Wanaka wedding photographer Andy Brown Photography is achieving excellent results in social media, with hundreds of likes for many of the company’s stunning photos:
Turning to Social Media Marketing After the Lockdown
The lockdown saw a great many people around the world spend more time than ever on social media, connecting with friends and family virtually when they couldn’t do so in person.
That, in turn, has led more businesses than ever to consider promoting their products and services through social media.
If you’re wondering if you should now get involved with social media, check out these 7 reasons why social media is more important than ever for your business:
1 Your customers and prospects are there
It’s more challenging than ever to market to Kiwis. They simply don’t hang out in the usual places anymore. Newspaper circulation continues to dwindle; television viewing remains high but audiences in 2020 are spread across the free-to-air networks, tens of Sky channels and the commercial-free streaming services such as Disney+, Neon, Lightbox, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+ and of course Netflix.
Kiwis can however be found in large numbers on the social networks:
- Facebook has more than 3.3 million New Zealand members and most visit that social network in a typical month (a great many of them on at least a daily basis). Average time spent on Facebook per month: 9 hours and 55 minutes.
- Instagram has 1.7 million Kiwi members, around two thirds of whom are under 35.
Collectively, social network numbers are huge.
2 Your competitors are there
Around the world, 2 million businesses use social media marketing to promote their products and services. No, you shouldn’t just use social media because other businesses do — but if your competitors are active and successful on social media, you owe it to yourself to at least check out your options.
3 Social Media often leads to sales
Studies reveal that 70% of business-to-consumer marketers have acquired customers through social media. And that isn’t just sales that the businesses would have required anyway: according to ignite social media, 41% of people who discovered an item through social media and then went on to purchase it said they’d just happened upon it and hadn’t previously thought of buying it.
4 Social Media drives awareness
According to AdWeek, at least once a month, 83 per cent of survey respondents heard about a brand or product on social media before they heard about it from any other source. And yes, awareness matters: it takes time to make sales and first they have to hear about you.
5 Social Media is an ideal place to engage with your fans
As your business grows, you’ll find it’s impossible to just invite your customers over for drinkies. Even if they really, really, really like you, your customers can’t just drop in to your business and find out what’s new and what’s happening. But they can stop by your establishment on social media and get all the goss — new products, special offers, behind the scenes exclusives.
If you stop thinking of your social media properties as a place to sell to people and think instead of the networks as a way to share stories, interact and engage, then you’ll really start to tap into the potential of social media.
6 Social Media is good for SEO
Search engine algorithms do seem to smile fondly on social media links as a positive signal, to boost the authority of your website and its pages. Sure, we don’t really know how fondly — like the Colonel’s secret herbs and spices, algorithmic factors are a closely held secret. But every little helps, especially if it’s your followers who are socially sharing the links rather than just you.
7 Advertising usually costs less in Social Media
Chances are, you will have to pay to boost your posts in social media and ensure that your carefully chosen words, pictures and videos are seen by as many people as possible. But, at least for now, you will probably pay less than if you advertised elsewhere (online or off-line).
If you choose your posts carefully, and primarily promote those posts that are already showing signs of success, you can also benefit by having recipients share your posts (without you paying any more). Why would they do that? Because your promoted posts were (a) relevant; (b) interesting; and (c) worth sharing. So choose carefully — the budget you save may be your own.
Have we made our case about the strategic importance of Social Media Marketing? Then may we recommend that you take a look at our online training courses.
Here are the course details (click through for more information):
The Principles & Practice of Social Media Marketing
This is a thirteen-part eCourse providing a comprehensive introduction to Social Media Marketing, from the Basics to detailed instructions on how to build and run a Social Media Marketing programme.
For more details of the Social Media Marketing online course, please click here.
Mastering Facebook & Instagram
By far the most powerful social media channels for NZ marketers these days are Facebook and Instagram.
That’s where the audiences are, and that’s where YOU need to be.
Of course, there’s rather more to Facebook and Instagram marketing than making a few posts or taking a few pretty pictures and hoping to reach large numbers of your target audience.
Effective social media marketing requires the right knowledge, tools, tips and techniques to help you get noticed and to encourage your audience to engage with you and your brand.
For more information on the combined course that covers both of these hot topics, please visit https://socialmedia.org.nz/ecourses/mastering-facebook-and-instagram-marketing/
Facebook Accelerator Programme
So you have a few hundred (or a few thousand) followers on Facebook but now you want to know how to get to the next level? Our Facebook Accelerator seven-part online course will lead you through the steps necessary to supercharge your Facebook presence and get Kiwi consumers engaging with you and your brands.
For more details of the Facebook Accelerator programme, please click here.
The Complete Facebook Marketing Course
For those who wish to master Facebook Marketing in its entirety, we’ve created a ten-week online training programme which will take you from absolute beginner on Facebook to highly effective Facebook communicator.
For more details of the Complete Facebook Marketing programme, please click here.
Mastering Facebook Advertising
This is a nine-part eCourse providing a comprehensive introduction to paid Facebook Advertising.
For more details of the Mastering Facebook Ads online training course, please click here.
Instagram Marketing course
If your target audience is Under 35, Instagram absolutely must be one of your marketing options. This course will give you a solid introduction to this fast-growing social medium.
You’ll find out the details of this Instagram Marketing seven-part online training course by clicking here.
How to Prepare an Effective Social Media Brief
Even if you don’t intend to become directly involved in social media yourself, you may still need to understand the principles, practices and opportunities of social media — for example, if you need to brief someone about running a social media campaign. This programme is designed to provide you with the insights necessary to prepare an effective brief.
For more details of the How to Prepare an Effective Social Media Brief programme, please click here.
