By now you should have your business on at least one social media platform. Social media is always evolving, and 2016 definitely proved that true. Snapchat grew into one of the most used platforms. Facebook added more value to business pages, and Twitter improved it’s 140 character count. We don’t expect you to know all this (that is our job). But we do expect you to use social media to improve brand identity and reputation. With that said, here’s a snapshot of what to expect in social media for 2017.
Paid Advertising
Companies are boarding the social media train and competition is on the rise. Put yourself in the face of your target audience before someone else does with paid advertising. When you budget money every month for advertising on social media you increase the ability to reach an audience you would not reach through normal advertising. However, don’t just spend money on any platform. Know where your audience sits and what platforms they use to find companies like yours. You can also check out which platforms your competition is using as well. Paid advertising is money well spent because YOU have control. If you want to stop or edit an ad mid-run, you can.
Organic Reach
Organic reach piggy-backs paid advertising. Paid advertising speeds up the growth of your audience, whether it’s more likes or followers. The larger your audience is on social media, the more likely your content will be seen organically. Facebook considers your business page is relevant when it notices more traffic such as post comments, shares, and likes. They see people like your page, and will make sure your content is seen. Organic content is seen naturally. Great content is important because it represents your business. A lot of time and though needs to be invested in your organic content because you are not paying for it to be seen.
SEO
Search Engine Optimization is more important than people realize. SEO will get your business noticed. But great SEO will get your business noticed again and again. When your social media manager explains your website statistics to you, website visits should be highlighted. This number may seem high, and if it is, that is good. However, how many of those visits are returning guests? No business wants to invest in something someone will only see once then forget it. When done right, SEO will push ahead of the competition and put your content in front of your audience more than once. Remember, SEO is more of a marketing tactic than a branding strategy. Keywords, meta phrases, even videos should all be considered. SEO is the foundation of your online presence. Mobile searches are also growing, and optimization is imperative. There are things on the World Wide Web that exist now that did not exist last year. Allocating a large portion of your marketing budget for SEO is a wise investment. Don’t be afraid to ask your web developer questions about SEO.
Video
Video content continues to grow on all social media platforms. Each platform is improving ways to support video. Video is engaging and informative. Live video catches people off guard but sparks curiosity so they watch. You may ask, “Why does my business need video content? Isn’t that for family and friends?” Welcome to 2017. Video is still king and reigning over all social media platforms. MILE Social encourages it’s clients to use video for educational reasons. For example, 30-second tips, and client Q&A’s.
In 2017 online video is projected to account for 74% of all web traffic.
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