What Is SMM? + How To Build an SMM Campaign
Did you know that approximately 71% of consumers are more likely to purchase products and services if they come recommended through social media? That represents a significant segment of the market!
By 2027, social media users are projected to soar to 5.85 billion. Missing out on this staggering opportunity could be a setback for any business aiming for growth.
Therefore, it's time to act without delay. Each day you're not leveraging social media translates to lost opportunities. We've outlined the essentials you need to know to get you started.
What is Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing, or SMM, is when you use social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to promote your products or services. How? By sharing engaging content and grabbing your target market's attention.
Top 5 Social Media Platforms You Can Utilize To Market Your Brand
Hootsuite tells us that more than half discover new brands on social media feeds. Also, 43% of people look up products on social media before they buy them.
Considering this, if you’re a startup or an SMB, SMM should be one of the strategies you should implement.
You can start with these platforms:
Facebook has grown into the largest social media platform in the world. It has billions of users, and many have started to build their brand on Facebook for good reasons.
Facebook allows you to create a community through:
- Facebook pages: Provide a professional presence, enable audience engagement, offer analytics for insights, allow targeted advertising, and facilitate customer support.
- Facebook groups: Foster community building, encourage content sharing, gather feedback and insights, facilitate networking, and offer customer support opportunities.
Instagram was founded in 2010 and acquired by Facebook in 2012. But what differentiates it from Facebook is that it’s a visual platform for photo and video sharing. It also has a younger user base, making it an excellent channel for brands targeting millennials and Gen Z.
Twitter has become a hub for real-time news and conversations. It allows users to post short messages called tweets.
For businesses, Twitter can be used for customer service. Many turn to this platform to announce brand updates as well as engage directly with their followers.
With millions of active users, your business can stay relevant and be part of the daily conversation with this platform.
YouTube
Now owned by Google, YouTube is the leading video-sharing platform globally. It's not just for entertainment; it's also used for creating educational content, product reviews, how-tos, and more.
Businesses can use this platform by creating their own channel. With billions of users, YouTube provides a great audience and the chance for content to go viral.
TikTok
TikTok became the latest sensation on social media, rapidly gaining global popularity. The network attracted an average of 340 million new active members per year between 2018 and 2022.
TikTok is known for its short-form videos. It has become a hub for viral content, catering to younger audiences. This platform presents a distinctive chance for brands to participate in trends, craft original content, and engage with a lively and dynamic community.
Don’t know which platform to use? Remember that SMM isn't about quick wins. It's a long-term strategy–meaning you won’t see results overnight (unless it’s viral content). Basically, it’ll take time, but if you don’t have the time to spend on this effort, why not hire a remote social media and community manager to help you?
Why Is SMM So Powerful?
If you’re wondering what makes SMM such a powerful strategy for business, the answers are simpler than you might think.
Create meaningful connections
Social media offers a way to connect with people all over. This isn't just about reaching a large number of potential customers; it's about making meaningful connections with them enough to foster customer loyalty.
How? For instance, you can immediately connect with your customers by having personalized replies instead of templated ones. It can also be something as simple as showing genuine interest in their thoughts and concerns.
Interact with your customers
Unlike traditional advertising, social media allows two-way interaction between brands and consumers.
How? It’s as simple as responding fast to inquiries, addressing complaints, and supporting user-generated content. By doing these, you create a more personable identity for your brand. It makes you reachable for your customers.
Collect helpful customer data
Social media provides valuable customer data insights such as preferences, feedback, and needs. Analyzing interactions, engagements, and content performance helps you understand your audience better, tailor suitable marketing strategies, develop customer-centric products, and create relevant content.
These elements combined make SMM an essential tool for any brand looking to make an impact on its customer base.
8 Ways To Build an SMM Campaign That Works
Creating a successful Social Media Marketing (SMM) campaign involves several key steps. Here’s a guide to building an SMM campaign that works:
1. Align your goals to clear business objectives
Start by defining what you want to achieve with your social media efforts. Your SMM goals should directly support your overall business objectives, whether it's increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or boosting customer engagement.
This alignment ensures that every action taken on social media brings you closer to your company's broader goals.
2. Learn about your customers
Gather information about your target market’s age, location, income, job title, industry, and interests. This detailed profile helps you tailor your social media content to resonate with your audience, making sure it appeals directly to the people you want to reach.
3. Conduct a competitor analysis
Take a close look at what your competition is doing on social media. Identify their successes and failures to learn what might work for your brand. This analysis can provide valuable insights into effective strategies and common pitfalls you should avoid.
4. Audit your current strategies
Review your existing social media marketing efforts to understand what's working and what isn't.
Look at both your successes and failures to identify areas for improvement. This audit will help refine your strategy and ensure future efforts are more focused and effective.
5. Create a content calendar
Develop a content calendar that outlines what you'll post, when you'll post it, and where. This schedule keeps your social media activity consistent and aligned with your marketing goals, making managing and executing your strategy easier.
6. Create evergreen content
Focus on creating high-quality, evergreen, and engaging content that speaks to your target audience.
Great content can captivate your audience and encourage them to interact with your brand, whether it's informative blog posts, eye-catching visuals, or compelling videos.
7. Track your performance and adjust as needed
Use analytics tools to track engagement, reach, conversions, and other key metrics. This data lets you see what's working and what's not, enabling you to adjust your strategy and tactics for better results.
8. Hire a social media manager
Have no time to handle all of this? You can hire your own social media manager through MultiplyMii to focus on growing your brand on social media. We’re staffing experts who have a proven track record of helping businesses save up to 83%.
By following these steps, you can create a campaign that reaches your target audience and achieves your business objectives.
Expand Your Reach Online with A Skilled Social Media Manager
Need help in your SMM efforts? Hire an effective social media manager through MultiplyMii today!
We specialize in finding top-notch social media managers who will elevate your brand to new heights.
From crafting enticing job descriptions to seamless onboarding, we handle it all, freeing you to focus on expanding your customer base and growing your business.
Schedule a FREE consultation now to kickstart your online journey.
