11 Social Media Marketing Ideas

If you’re like most business owners, you’re using social media to some degree, but you may not be seeing the results you want.

It’s time to set social media goals that make sense for your business.

With these 11 easy-to-follow social media marketing ideas, you’ll be able to create goals that align with your business objectives and get the results you’re looking for.

11 Social Media Marketing Ideas

Social media marketing doesn’t have to be complicated.

Try these easy-to-follow social media marketing tips to get more engagement on your posts and boost the reach of your next social media campaign:

1. Set Achievable Goals for Your Business

Are you using social media to its full potential? If you’re not sure, you’re not alone. Many business owners struggle to set social media goals that make sense for their business. Without direction, it’s tough to know what to post, when to post, and how to measure success.

That’s why it’s important to have a coherent plan set out.

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To get started, allocate some time to define what exactly it is you’d like to achieve with your next social media campaign. Ask yourself: What do you want to achieve with social media? Do you wish to support your SEO efforts? Help drive traffic to your website? Convert more leads into customers?

Or perhaps your social media goals align with the 58% of businesses that wish to increase brand awareness or the 41% of businesses that are looking to boost community engagement?

Whatever the case, to help you get started, below are some of the most common social media strategies that businesses of all sizes pursue:

1. Increase brand awareness. To increase brand awareness, focus on creating content that is interesting and relevant to your target audience. You’ll want to make sure that your social media profiles are properly optimized and that you’re using all the available tools to reach more people.
2. Generate leads and sales. If your goal is to generate leads and sales, you’ll need to create targeted content that encourages people to take action. You’ll need to make sure your website is optimized for lead generation, and that you’re using effective conversion tactics like lead capture forms and pop-ups.
3. Boost community engagement. To boost community engagement, you’ll want to focus on creating interactive content and building relationships with followers. And if your goal is to drive website traffic, you’ll need to create compelling calls-to-action and be sure your business’ website is ready and optimized for the new visitors you attract.
4. Grow your brand’s audience. This is probably the most common goal, and it’s important to remember that it takes time and effort to build a large following on social media. Don’t expect overnight success; focus on providing valuable content and engaging with your audience.

To help out further, we’ll dive into the most effective social media marketing strategies below. But, in general, as long as you and your social media marketing team stay focused and consistent, while taking a multifaceted approach to your social media campaigns, you’ll be able to see results from your social media efforts in no time.

2. Get To Know Your Target Audience

You can have the best product or service in the world, but if you’re not targeting the right people, you’re going to have a hard time generating a regular influx of sales.

It’s that simple.

With this in mind, be sure to take the time to research your target audience and make sure you’re marketing to the right people.

How?

Start by creating buyer personas, which are fictional representations of your target audience. Buyer personas should include basic demographic information, such as age, gender, and income level, as well as information about their interests and online behavior.

It’s also important to note, different social media platforms attract different audience demographics. As an example of this, let’s quickly take a look at which age groups dominate the different social media platforms:

• Facebook‘s largest age group is predominantly 25-34 and makes up 31.5% of the platform’s users.
• Instagram‘s largest age group is very similar to Facebook’s, with 25-34-year-olds making up 31.2% of the platform’s users.
• As you’d imagine, TikTok‘s age group is pushed more towards the younger generations, with 10-19-year-olds making up the largest age group at 25%.
• Twitter is slightly different again, with 18-29 making up 42% of the platform’s total users.
• LinkedIn‘s largest age group resides in the 25-34 age bracket, which makes up 58.4% of all users.
• Pinterest is dominated predominantly by the baby boomers and older gen X’s, with 50-64-year-olds making up 38% of the platform’s user base.
• Snapchat belongs to young millennials and gen Zers, with 15-25-year-olds making up 48% of its users.
• YouTube‘s largest age group is 25-34-year-olds, making up 21.2% of the platform’s users.

Of course, social media demographics don’t have to be broken down by age. As the graphic below suggests, users can be sorted into groups depending on a variety of factors, including gender, income, or education.

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Some demographic information will be helpful to define your target market, others won’t be. It’s up to you to decide what will be helpful to your business goals.

So what’s the best way to collect and analyze this data?

You can also use social media analytics tools to get a better understanding of your target audience. These tools, like HubSpot, Buzzsumo, and Google Analytics, allow business owners and marketers to determine which social media platforms a target audience is using, what they’re talking about, and what kind of content they’re engaging with.

The importance of defining your target audience cannot be understated. By taking the time to understand who you are selling to, you’ll not only be able to create content and messaging that resonates with them and drives results for your business, but you can also take this knowledge and apply it to other supporting content marketing efforts – like your SEO efforts.

3. Engage Your Audience With an AMA

Ever wanted to pick the brain of an expert in your field? You’re not the only one. In fact, by hosting an AMA (Ask Me Anything) your audience can tap into you the face of the business.

An AMA is a Q&A session where you allow your audience to ask you anything. This can be a great way to connect with your audience and build trust. It can also allow you to gather valuable feedback on your products or services.

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So what’s the best way to go about hosting an AMA?

When hosting an AMA, it’s important to keep your audience engaged. One way to do this is by asking them to submit questions ahead of time. This will ensure that you have a variety of questions to choose from and that you’re not fielding the same questions over and over again.

Another way to keep your audience engaged is by keeping things moving. Make sure you alternate between answering questions and asking for new ones. This will prevent the conversation from dragging on too long.

Another important consideration to make is which social media platform you decide to host your AMA on. Reddit is particularly popular for AMAs. In fact, they have a whole subreddit called r/AMA dedicated to it. But, for the best results, it’s a good idea to find subreddits that are super relevant to your market niche. That way, the audience will already be jazzed about and tuned into what you’ll be talking about.

Your Twitter account, business’ Facebook page, and Instagram are also great places to host AMAs. All three social media platforms allow users to host live videos, which can be used for hosting AMA sessions.

The best part?

AMA sessions allow you to gain insight into what your customers are thinking, what questions they’d like answered, and what they think about your product and services. You can then take this valuable information and use it to create content elsewhere. For instance, you could use the questions and the answers you provided to post to your business’s other social accounts or use this information to create blog posts that’ll support your website’s SEO efforts.

4. Get More Leads and Engagement with Contests and Giveaways

There’s a reason why social media contests and giveaways are so popular: they work. According to Tailwind, an analysis of over 60,000 IG posts found Instagram accounts that hold contests or giveaways grow their followers 70% faster than those accounts that don’t. And, not only do contests generate more leads, but they also create more engagement. The same study found that Instagram contests receive 3.5 times as many likes and 64 times more comments than non-contest related posts.

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Contests and giveaways provide an incentive for followers to interact with your content, and the more people who engage, the more leads you’ll generate.

But it’s not all about getting new leads. Contests and giveaways can also help you boost engagement rates and build relationships with current followers.

This will help to appease the social media algorithms, and in turn act as a positive feedback loop – the more engagement from your current followers, the more new followers you’ll attract, and the more your social media networks will grow.

So what’s the best way to go about conducting a social media run contest or giveaway?

When planning your contest or giveaway, keep the following in mind:

1. Make sure you are compliant with all laws and regulations governing contests and giveaways in your country or state.
2. Clearly communicate the rules of the contest or giveaway and make sure they are easy to understand.
3. Promote your contest or giveaway using effective marketing strategies, such as email marketing, social media influencers, or PR.
4. Monitor entries and winner selection closely to avoid any cheating or fraud.
5. Award winners promptly and, if awarding a physical product, contact them for their shipping information.
6. Thank everyone who participated in the contest or giveaway once it is over.

Bottom line, run a contest or giveaway and watch your engagement numbers soar. It’s an easy way to get more followers and likes, while also growing your brand awareness and bringing eyes to your business’s website. Something that’s definitely not wasted on search engine algorithms.

5. Get More Followers with a Social Media Takeover

In the world of social media, follower counts are king. The more followers you have, the more influence you wield. That’s why it’s so important to find ways to boost your following. Social media takeovers are the perfect way to achieve this.

The concept of a social media takeover is pretty simple: a business temporarily hands over their account to somebody else – typically someone with a strong online presence, like an influencer.

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Influencers have large followings on social media and can help promote your takeover to their audience. They can also help your business create interesting and engaging content for your takeover. This is a great way to increase awareness of your brand or product and also places your business in front of a previously untapped customer base.

To stage a successful social media takeover, you need to find an influencer who has a large following and is aligned with your brand. Then, reach out to them and ask if you can take over their account for a day. Most influencers will be happy to help promote your content in exchange for some exposure themselves.

When planning a social media takeover, it’s important to consider what type of messaging you want to communicate and who your target audience is. You also need to come up with a game plan for how you will execute the takeover. Here are some tips for conducting a successful social media takeover:

1. Choose the right platform. Not all platforms are created equal when it comes to social media takeovers. Some platforms are better suited for influencers – IG and TikTok are well suited for this type of marketing – while others are more conducive to brand messages. Do your research and choose the platform that will work best for your goals.
2. Create a content strategy. Once you’ve chosen the platform, create a content strategy that outlines the types of content you will post during the takeover. This could include photos, videos, quotes, or articles related to your brand or industry.
3. Stay on message. Make sure all the content you share during the takeover aligns with your brand’s messaging and values, while remaining engaging to potential customers.
4. Direct users to your website whenever possible. Take the opportunity to place your business before fresh eyes to promote your business’ website. The chances are, if an influencer’s followers are keen on the content posted on your social accounts, they’ll likely find your on-site content engaging as well.

The social media world is ever-changing, and it can be hard to keep up. With help from the above tips and the right influencer, you will keep your followers engaged with fresh, relevant content.

6. Don’t Be Afraid to Hit That Share Button

You may have heard the saying “content is king.” This statement may be overused, but in the case of user-generated content, it certainly stands true. Why? Because people trust user-generated content (UGC) more than any other kind.

Consider this: A study by State of User-Generated Content found that 64% of consumers agree that when a brand re-shares content created by their customers (in other words, UGC), they are more likely to share the content about said brand. So if you want your own branded content to not only be seen by more people but also trusted by more people, you need to start sharing the content your customers are creating.

It’s that simple.

So what exactly is UGC?

UGC is any type of content that is created by customers or fans and followers, rather than by your own social media marketing team. This could include anything from photos and videos to IG stories and tweets.

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So, how can businesses start sharing customer UGC? The first step is to encourage customers and fans to share photos and videos of their experiences using your product or service. To do this, simply:

1. Make use of hashtags. Including a branded hashtag in posts encourages customers to share their experiences with your company and promotes user-generated content.
2. Engage where possible. Liking and commenting on customer posts shows you are engaged with your audience and encourages them to keep sharing.
3. Hit that share button. Reposting customer content gives creators the exposure they deserve and encourages other customers to create content about your brand.
4. Reward creators. Offer incentives for creating and sharing content, such as discounts or giveaways.
5. Establish a responsive online presence. Respond to feedback and questions from customers who post about your brand online.

When you share, pin, retweet, and re-gram content from your fans and followers, you tap into their social media influence. This can help you sell more products by expanding your reach and engagement. And hey, don’t be a slouch. Be sure to take the initiative and reuse your customer’s creations across your various marketing channels, including other social platforms and your business website.

7. Spice up Your Social Media With Short, High-Impact Video Clips

Video content is a great way to spice up your social media profiles. Short, high-impact video clips can help you catch the attention of your followers and keep them engaged. Video also provides an opportunity to share your personality and cultivate a personal connection with your customer base.

15-30 seconds is all you need.

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Get the attention of social media users with bite-sized video clips that are easy to consume and quick to produce.

When creating videos for social media, take into account the following tips:

1. Keep videos short and to the point. Viewers are more likely to watch a short, well-produced video than a long one.
2. Make sure videos are of high quality. Poorly produced videos will only reflect poorly on your brand.
3. Be creative and engaging. Use humor or interesting visuals to keep followers engaged. [For instance, you could use a meme generator tool to help you make a relatable and eye-catching meme video.]
4. Jump on the trend. Share videos regularly to keep followers interested and coming back for more.
5. Repurpose the content. To reemphasize, don’t just use the video clips on one social media account, create, repurpose, and post it to your blog or other social platforms.

The trend is clear: video is one of the most engaging types of content on social media (and other marketing platforms). Create short video clips to post on your social media channels and see your engagement skyrocket.

8. Don’t Forget the Hashtags

Do you want to make sure your social media posts are seen by the right people? Then you need to use hashtags.

Hashtags are the perfect way to connect with people who share your interests on social media. By adding relevant hashtags to your posts, you can increase the reach of your content and connect with more people.

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When employing this tactic, be sure to use hashtags that are relevant to your post. Don’t just add any old hashtag in an attempt to get more views. The best way to find relevant hashtags is to do a little research ahead of time.

There are several tools and websites that can help you find relevant hashtags for your posts. Inflact or All-Hashtag generators will get the job done. Both tools allow users to search for hashtags based on keywords or topics.

Another great resource for finding relevant hashtags is Twitter’s or IG’s own search bar. Just type in the keyword or topic you’re interested in and both platforms will show you all the related hashtags relevant to a search term.

Remember, without the right hashtags, your social media posts will be lost in the ether, never to be seen by your target audience. But with the right hashtags, you can reach a wider audience, jumpstart your marketing efforts, and boost your bottom line.

9. Discover the power of social media live functions

Social media has forever changed the way we communicate with each other. In the past, if we wanted to have a conversation with someone, we would have to pick up the phone or meet them in person. But now, thanks to social media platforms, we can communicate with anyone anywhere in the world with just a few clicks of a button.

One of the most popular ways to communicate with others on social media is through live video or live chat. These functions allow users to open up real-time interactions with their followers, providing a more personal experience that can lead to better conversions and more sales.

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Live chat and live video chat can be used for a variety of purposes, including press releases, answering customer questions, providing product demonstrations, and gathering feedback.

If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few tips for using live chat and live video in your social media marketing:

1. Plan ahead. Don’t just jump into your live video without knowing what you want to say or share. Make sure you have a plan and stick to it.
2. Be prepared for questions from viewers. Answer questions as best you can during the live video, and be sure to follow up with those who have further questions after the broadcast is over.
3. Keep your videos short and sweet. Most people won’t watch a long live video, so keep your broadcasts short and to the point.
4. Hit the record button. This kind of content can contain vital information that your customers may want to check back in with later on down the track. Record it, repost it, and repurpose it on your blog.

By seeing the people behind the company, hearing their voices, and tapping into their knowledge, customers feel like they are dealing with real people, not just a faceless corporation.

10. Encourage Feedback and Engagement With Polls

Looking to increase audience engagement? Poll your audience.

Polls are another effective social media marketing strategy to engage with your followers and get their opinion on a topic. You can use them for a variety of purposes, such as polling for ideas, gauging sentiment, or just getting feedback.

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There are a few things to keep in mind when creating a social media poll. First, make sure the question is clear and easy to understand. Keep the options simple so that voters can quickly make a choice. Both of these factors will help draw attention to it and encourage people to participate.

The best part, social media platforms understand how important polls are to engagement, and they make it easier than ever to do so.

For example, on Twitter, you can use the poll feature in the tweet box. And on Instagram, you can use the poll feature in the Stories section.

By conducting polls, you can collect valuable feedback and data from your audience. Not to mention, it’s a great way to increase engagement and keep your audience coming back for more.

11. Get More Customers With a Laugh

It can be difficult to come up with new, engaging content for social media posts on a business account. Not to worry. The use of humor can be a great way to drive engagement and keep followers interested in what you have to say.

Memes are a popular way to add a touch of humor to your posts, and they can be easily created with online tools like Imgflip’s Meme Generator or QuickMeme.

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You can also use jokes and funny quotes, or post amusing images and videos. Whatever approach you take, make sure the humor is relevant to your business and resonates with your followers.

By using humor on social media, you can create a more engaging and entertaining experience for your audience – and that’s great for business.

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Ultimately, small businesses should remember that retaining customers is about building relationships. By taking the time to understand what customers want and need, small businesses can create a loyal base of customers who will continue to do business with them long into the future.

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Summary

Social media marketing is a great way to connect with customers and promote your brand. There are many platforms available, so choose the ones that best fit your business and target audience. Be sure to create engaging content that will capture people’s attention. And most importantly, experiment and test different strategies to see what works best for you.

If you’d like help with engaging content, SEO, or digital marketing in general, be sure to reach out to us here at Loganix.

Loganix is a digital marketing and SEO agency that helps businesses grow online. Our team of experts use innovative techniques to help businesses rank higher in search engine results pages, attract more website visitors, and convert more leads into customers. The best part, Loganix’s services are tailored to your business’s unique needs, and offer a range of different packages to suit any budget.