Nearly three quarters of online adults in the U.S. use social media, social media marketing for dummies and 53 percent of active social networkers follow a brand. So with social media becoming an ever-more-standard online marketing tool, it’s becoming harder for brands to stand out among their competitors. Good design, especially for smaller brands, is absolutely necessary. A good profile is simple and direct about what the company sells and its personality. Choose only images that identify the brand or tell its story.Pay attention to “about me” fields. Be succinct but descriptive, and always include contact information to help potential customers find out how to learn more.Here are a few guidelines on making the most of the limited customizable options provided by social networking platforms. While this post focuses on Facebook and Twitter, which are the most widely used by brands and have some of the most customizable features, the same principles apply across platforms.
Twitter offers a vast area to be filled in the backgrounds of tweets, but resist the urge to fill that space with busy or tiled images. Busy backgrounds can distract from the content, social media marketing definition like the background on the Time Twitter page. Instead of reading the tweet itself, the viewer’s eye skips around trying to read all other magazine covers in the background.Busy backgrounds can also interfere with content in a different way. Don’t be Cinnabon, who tweeted a tribute to 9/11 on top of a background of cinnamon rolls, and was summarily ridiculed by Internet users. I ultimately believe that you’re talking about a multi-billion industry,” Murphy says. “To be honest, we may already be there. The difficult thing is we’re the first folks trying to quantify this in any real way, but we already know that all the major media companies are doing sponsored posts. In celebrity endorsements, sponsored posts are included but not always broken out. So this channel may already be that big. We just don’t know for certain.
StitchFix stylists ask customers to pin styles they like to their personal Pinterest pages. social media marketing firms The content can come from other pinners, competitive retailers or the StitchFix site itself.As a result, the customer can illustrate her preferences to her stylist with ease. This simplifies and improves communication between the customer and stylist. And in this way some StitchFix products gain traction on Pinterest, as a result of a consumer's sharing (as opposed to the retailer's). Another major retailer, Nordstrom, has encouraged social engagement among its followers. On Nordstrom’s Pinterest pages, the company has created boards that are laser focused on specific topics, such as for shoes only or fall fashion. When customers follow a specific board, they know exactly what they’re will receive.
The abundance of customer complaints posted online represents another opportunity for retailers: social media in marketing how they respond can inform future relationships and affect the community they've tried so hard to build.Marketers and customer service representatives should consider each complaint a breach in trust. Not only is the original customer paying attention, many would-be shoppers are watching to see how the company responds. Customers must know that even if something goes wrong, the company is still on their side. “When negative feedback is posted publicly, we respond publicly to help resolve the issue," ModCloth's Ramamurthi says. "This demonstrates to the customer that [his or her] voice is heard and we will do everything in our power to make the situation right. Building trust with customers means understanding and respecting their preferences and values. Only then might they be willing to endorse a company to their family and friends.
Twitter offers a vast area to be filled in the backgrounds of tweets, but resist the urge to fill that space with busy or tiled images. Busy backgrounds can distract from the content, social media marketing definition like the background on the Time Twitter page. Instead of reading the tweet itself, the viewer’s eye skips around trying to read all other magazine covers in the background.Busy backgrounds can also interfere with content in a different way. Don’t be Cinnabon, who tweeted a tribute to 9/11 on top of a background of cinnamon rolls, and was summarily ridiculed by Internet users. I ultimately believe that you’re talking about a multi-billion industry,” Murphy says. “To be honest, we may already be there. The difficult thing is we’re the first folks trying to quantify this in any real way, but we already know that all the major media companies are doing sponsored posts. In celebrity endorsements, sponsored posts are included but not always broken out. So this channel may already be that big. We just don’t know for certain.
Avoid using text in images when possible
When creating cover and profile images for your social media platforms, be sure to keep them as visual as possible. social media marketing firm Lots of wording can not only take away from the visual impact of the profile, it can also interfere with the content on the page. Turning a recognizable logo into a profile picture may seem like a natural strategy, but many brands with text-heavy logos opt for something else.Coca-Cola, for example, with arguably the most recognizable text logo in the world, uses a picture of a Coke bottle to represent itself across platforms. The image of the bottle on a white background reads much better on a small scale than its trademark cursive.Facebook even restricts the amount of text that can appear in ads and sponsored posts that will appear in their news feed to 20 percent of the entire image. While this principle doesn’t apply to cover photos or profile pictures, it’s a good reminder to keep text out of images as much as possible.For example Marvel, whose poorly executed text-heavy banner picture creates little impact.StitchFix stylists ask customers to pin styles they like to their personal Pinterest pages. social media marketing firms The content can come from other pinners, competitive retailers or the StitchFix site itself.As a result, the customer can illustrate her preferences to her stylist with ease. This simplifies and improves communication between the customer and stylist. And in this way some StitchFix products gain traction on Pinterest, as a result of a consumer's sharing (as opposed to the retailer's). Another major retailer, Nordstrom, has encouraged social engagement among its followers. On Nordstrom’s Pinterest pages, the company has created boards that are laser focused on specific topics, such as for shoes only or fall fashion. When customers follow a specific board, they know exactly what they’re will receive.
Keep branding consistent and up-to-date across platforms
Most brands now have a presence on multiple platforms to catch the broadest audience possible. social media marketing books But just like other aspects of marketing materials, it’s necessary to keep the design of profiles across platforms as consistent as possible. This means using the same profile picture and the same cover photo whenever possible.It’s always a good idea to keep social profiles up-to-date with fresh pictures with information on new projects. Media companies often change their profiles to reflect upcoming releases, like this PBS cover photo.Just make sure that when one profile is changed, they all change to match. Keeping a list of every social profile a company maintains can help cut down on inconsistencies across platforms.Some 52 percent of companies responding said they had standalone budgets for sponsored social and 25 percent had organizational budgets for the channel in excess of $500,000.The abundance of customer complaints posted online represents another opportunity for retailers: social media in marketing how they respond can inform future relationships and affect the community they've tried so hard to build.Marketers and customer service representatives should consider each complaint a breach in trust. Not only is the original customer paying attention, many would-be shoppers are watching to see how the company responds. Customers must know that even if something goes wrong, the company is still on their side. “When negative feedback is posted publicly, we respond publicly to help resolve the issue," ModCloth's Ramamurthi says. "This demonstrates to the customer that [his or her] voice is heard and we will do everything in our power to make the situation right. Building trust with customers means understanding and respecting their preferences and values. Only then might they be willing to endorse a company to their family and friends.
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