The traditional marketing model was to get as many eyeballs on your own product or service’s message as you possibly can and hope that a percentage of customers purchase. Yellow pages, radio advertising, direct mail, television commercials, magazine ads, etc.. are examples of these traditional advertising methods. These conventional types of marketing are no longer effective as many consumers have become blind to the ‘one way’ messaging. The message has been overdone and people no longer trust advertisers. A recent survey discovered that only 14% of individuals trust ads while 76% of individuals trust consumer recommendations. Accordingly, more marketers began seeking alternative ways to connect with potential consumers.
Marketing on the Internet was originally made popular through the use of Websites and optimizing the websites through Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques. While still an advisable strategy, SEO has been updated by Blogging platforms 2.0 strategies, such as for example social media marketing. Personal Growth marketing is when companies utilize Web 2 2.0 platforms, such as blogs, social media sites (like Facebook, Google+, Foursquare, Twitter, & YouTube) along with other emerging online marketing tools. The benefit of blogging platforms 2.0 platforms versus traditional means of advertising, and even traditional website marketing, is that it involves ‘two-way communication’, where users are empowered to generate content and companies are incentivized to communicate with their customers.
The days of broadcasting your product or services message out to the masses and longing for a response have died. People don’t want to purchase from nameless, faceless companies. Not only are consumers paying attention to the ‘man behind the curtain’, but they also wish to know what others say about your service or product. A recent study concluded that 80% folks Internet using moms were influenced by word-of-mouth from family and friends when coming up with a purchase decision. No other media platform permits small businesses to reap the benefits of consumer person to person advertising like social media.
Benefits Of Social Media Marketing
Increased New Customer Acquisitions – The benefit of social media marketing is that you’ll have the opportunity for connecting with networks of potential prospects that you would otherwise struggle to come across utilizing other traditional marketing techniques and also SEO.
Word of Mouth Marketing- Word of mouth marketing has always been the most influential solution to generate sales. With social media, you are able to create raving fans who will voluntarily promote your product and services with their networks of friends. Needless to say, if your service or product is poor, you may suffer the reverse great things about this.
Brand Awareness – Branding your organization using social media marketing is much simpler, faster, and less costly to achieve than the traditional advertising medium and even website marketing.
Customer Retention – Web 2 2.0 platforms will be the perfect places to communicate with your customers about services, special promotions, or merely to educate them on your own business. Through consistent, FREE communication, you can keep your company in front of your customer’s eyeballs that may in turn lead to repeat business and referrals. Remember, the main element to this kind of communication is usually to be content rich; avoid these avenues to pitch your product or service.
Rapid Results – The effective and successful implementation of a social media plan will create almost immediate results for your business. This increase can be quantified through increased site traffic, increased lead acquisition, and ultimately more sales. Unlike radio or TV ads, where your customers disappear once the ads go off air, these blogging platforms 2.0 platform benefits will continue long-term so long as the communication and updating of one’s social media marketing presence is maintained.