5 Tips To Choose The Right Social Media Marketing Company
Dec 26, 2016
10 min read
Social Media is unarguably the most popular medium to communicate and spread a piece of information, in just a few seconds. And it is no different for businesses. Social media has become an essential commodity to garner traffic, create brand exposure and to achieve more revenue conversions. For this, your business needs to invest in social media marketing. But it is not a one-man job and further requires expertize.
The selection process of a social media marketing company has a long-term effect on an organization’s success. This process demands for special attention and consideration to important details. Many social marketers does things that may be wrong, and it is better that you avoid those.
This blog will help you in providing an insight as how to choose the best company for your business.
1. Understanding of Your Business
You can get an idea if the social marketing company is right for you by looking at the kind of questions they ask. They should make efforts in learning and understand your marketing objectives in the personal brainstorming sessions. A good social media marketer never assume things, they ask you about your competitive factor, your target area and your weaknesses to create strategies that are customized for your business.
2. Number of Platforms
Having a presence on a number of social media platforms is essential for the company. But it should never be overdone. Some marketers have the tendency to get its presence on every social media platform available. But not every platform is same, some are far more valuable than others. You can further lose your followers with reduced levels of relevancy if you don’t keep up with the regular posts. Go for a company that can create your presence on those platforms that are most valuable for your business.
3. Effective Communication
Communication plays an important role, whenever you hire a company. You should always have an understanding of what is going on. It is imperative that the company you are hiring follows consistent communication regarding progress and goals. Monthly reports in the form of emails are not enough. Actual conversations through conference calls should take place at least twice in a month by your hired company.
4. Full Picture
Many marketers keep their strategy focused only on the Traffic part. Traffic is certainly a better metric to follow and should be taken into account. But just because people are coming on your site doesn’t mean they are interested or going to buy. So, you need a social marketing company that focuses on the bigger picture. The quality of your traffic is an important factor, that needs to be taken very seriously.
5. Measurement of Success
To know your success and failure rate, measurement is necessary. The key performance signal of the efforts of the company hired by you to manage the social marketing should be properly defined. There should be clear metrics to evaluate the performance in terms of reach, engagement, growth, lead generation and the increase in your website traffic. You have to make sure that the company has a detailed plan that makes sense to you and in relation to your business.
Social media marketing is a bit complex than other marketing strategies. It requires you to do a proper research, understands your goals, values the experience and chooses a social marketing company which can provide you with strategies best for your business.
Drive Exceptional Growth without an In-House Marketing Team
We drive business growth by optimizing every inbound channel to attract and convert high-quality clients for you
Share with Friends
Get The Ultimate Marketing Toolkit
100+ Tools on SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, Social Media, Viral Marketing, CRO, and more.
Free Download
How Video Should Be Used For Brand Building In 2019
Move over big chunks of content, users today prefer watching a snackable video instead for just about anything! Why? Because watching a video is simply more engaging than reading blocks of content and there’s an ever increasing number of users preferring to consume video content over anything else on the web. Users like Video so much that more than 85% of users would like to see brands produce more video content in the years to come. And brands are following suit. More than 80% of brands actively use some or the other form of video as their marketing tool and have admitted to continue using it for the next year as the ROI they’re seeing from videos is much higher than what they initially expected. And half of the remaining 20% of brands reportedly said that they plan to fire up their video marketing efforts pretty soon. So, there’s still time to hop on the video bandwagon for your brand if you haven’t yet started with it. But Why Videos? Video is the future of content marketing and brand building, there’s no denying about that. Depending on the way you use it, video can help your audience every step of their buyer journey and can generate a ton of awareness for the products or services you sell. Moreover, Videos help you connect with your audience in a way that plain blocks of content never can and helps spark emotion in your target audience. And when your videos emotionally connect with your audience, it fosters trust and makes them stick to your brand. But you’ll have to use videos strategically and carefully align it with the buyer journey of your customers to get the best results. So, here are a few ways to powerfully use videos to market your brand, stand out from the noise and gain a lot of exposure in 2019 - Share your brand’s story Every brand has a story behind its inception. Every brand has a purpose to fulfill.What better way to showcase your unique brand story with an engaging video? While blogs have been the go-to way for marketers to share compelling brand stories with their audience to make them trust their brand, video is quickly taking over. Publishing brand stories is all about making a glorious first impression, getting in the good books of prospective customers and quickly building an emotional connection with them and video is a perfect match for it. In your brand story video, try creating a video for your brand that clearly showcases what your business stands for, what customers can expect from your business and why your business is different from the rest to make an impact on your audience. Keep your product marketing to the bare minimum in your brand stories, rather focus on the values your products brings to the table. Barbie does it perfectly with their powerful video campaign that clearly showcases what their brand sells… dreams, not dolls. It is an engaging video which powerfully connects and leaves an impact on viewers and puts their brand in the best light possible. Showcase your products or services Videos are a great way to boast about your own products and services and sell it to prospective customers. Other than that, videos can serve as great product explainers tools as well. More than 95% of people agree that they watched a product explainer video to get a better understanding of a product. If you offer a complex product or a SaaS solution, showing a video that clearly tells users how to use it is always better and more engaging that throwing a full-fledged document at their face which elaborates the process for them. For example, Spotify, in their initial years when they were the first of its kind, marketed themselves with the help of a great product explainer video which told users exactly how their product can help them in hearing music that they like, anytime. And the video was responsible for convincing and bringing in initial users for Spotify. Which you can do too. You can take the help of a video-production company or use tools like PowToon that can do it for you. When making product explainer videos, keep it short and precise and focus on highlighting the true value your product delivers so prospects can quickly get a jist of what your product has to offer Other than that, to stand out from the competition, you can create boastful videos about your products or services that shows users exactly how your product is better than the rest to gain an edge and impress prospects right off the bat. Blendtec is a perfect example of a brand that aced video marketing with their one-of-a-kind product videos. Blendtec sells blenders with a tagline of ‘World’s most advanced blenders’ and started a video marketing campaign to showcase the superiority of their blenders in 2006 which went viral instantly. The viral video marketing campaign included a video series of their blenders blending unblendable stuff like phones, cameras and more. The viral campaign still runs to this day and drives valuable sales for their business on a daily basis. Engage with customers by answering their questions Want to showcase yourself as a brand that listens to their customers? Start creating videos where you address the exact questions your customers are asking you day-in and day-out. Creating a video that answers all the burning questions of your existing customers can help you in portraying your brand as the one who cares about their customers and strives to provide them with the best experience, which builds trust with your audience. Moreover, by taking the questions head-on with your video and placing it in your Q/A page, you save yourself a lot of time answering the exact same question to a lot of other users. You can make use of live video on major social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram and go on a live Q/A session with your audience where they can ask you the questions they like and receive answers in real-time. Great for building a strong relationship with your audience. Behind-the-scenes Videos Talking about live-video, you can make use of live-video to give a live sneak-peek to your audience about what happens behind the curtains of your business. Introduce your audience to the people who are responsible for running your brand, broadcast a company event or simply showcase your daily work routine, showing the human side of your brand can go a long way in making your audience trust you. On the plus side, live-videos are great for engaging with your audience as everything happens in real-time. Showcase customer testimonials Another great way to use videos to powerfully market your brand is by publishing customer testimonial videos on your website. When prospective customers see other people raving about your products and services, they automatically get inclined to make the final purchase, that’s the power of word-of-mouth. Many brands are already making use of video testimonials to boost conversions for their business by placing them prominently on their website. You should do it too to help users at the end of their buyer journey make the final purchase decision. Video is a great way to build brand awareness, engage users, provide a great customer experience and boost sales. Whether you are planning to use it soon or have been actively including it in your marketing efforts, keep the above-mentioned ways in mind before you start creating the next video for your business. ...
read more
Three Key Tips To Sell More Through The Use Of Social Media
Social media has been an inevitable part of DIGITAL MARKETING and you can barely walk straight without paying attention to the prospective potential of social media. The already expansive influence of social media is progressing further to an immense mass with every passing day, and you can’t simply evolve into a brand if you’re not on social media. And, if you’re already successful, you owe the fortune to social media. Now, if you understand the scope of business on social media, here are some tips to help you sell more using social media. 1. Find out where your customer is: Good investment is all about spending your money at the appropriate place. Take out time to explore the accurate place wherever your target audience regularly breathes. Where people are discussing your business, where there is a need for your services, where people are already speaking of you and your competitor, that is the right place to put your resources and woo the customers. Find out the insights of different social media platforms to know the platforms where the leads conversion is the highest. Social media monitoring will give you the right insights and opportunity to create personalized engagement activities. This will help you to build trust among the audience. Most of the business fail to establish the desired impact because more or less they believe in creating their presence on different social media channels. But, if the various experts on the industry are to be trusted, the need is to identify the top three or four best social media channels and focus completely on utilizing them. 2. Keep it simple: Complicating things is the worst thing that you can do to irritate your customer with your social media marketing. If your social media sales funnel is complicated, which is generally what most people go wrong, chances are people won’t consider ever again. Serving the expectation to cater what people really need is what people should focus on rather than complicating the purchase process, making it a journey of 10-11 clicks before they can finally get the product. 3. Focus on mobile social media users: As we all know that use of mobile is increasing with every passing day and every brand is focusing more and more on mobile users content. With this, even the number of mobile apps are also increasing and it has become more important for you to strengthen your presence among mobile phone users. Now, how to do it? The answer is to check your websites mobile performance using free mobile speed checker tools available on Google and try to fix all the issues that are indicated. Speed on mobile platforms is hampered by heavy images, an absence of proper CSS, HTML coding, and Javascript. For most of the users, the major turnoff is when they face speed issues making their first experience bad. They don’t probably come back if their journey from Point A to Point B (From the point of introduction on social media to the final checkout) proves bad. We hope these tips prove helpful and your business blossoms with yielding you huge profits. ...
read more
What is Customer Journey Automation? Use Cases, Benefits, and Strategies
Companies always want to know their customers better and make their experience smooth and enjoyable. One of the best ways to do this is through customer journey automation. This method helps companies monitor how customers interact with their brand from the moment they first contact it until after they purchase. By understanding these interactions, companies can improve the customer experience. By adopting customer journey automation, companies can make their customers happier, keep them coming back, and ultimately make more money. In this blog, we will discuss customer journey automation, why it's so important, discover its advantages, map out a customer journey, and how to choose the best platform for your company. Let's get started! What is Customer Journey Automation? Customer journey automation involves an automated system that tracks and analyzes all interactions and communications between a business and a customer. It starts from the moment a customer first interacts with the brand. Whether through an advertisement, email, or social media, it continues through to the purchase of a product and beyond. This automated process maps out the customer’s journey and uses the data collected to improve the overall experience, ensuring the journey is as smooth and efficient as possible. By utilizing customer journey automation, businesses can better understand their customers' needs, preferences, and behaviors, the major aspects of marketing automation services . A customer journey builder is a key component of this automation. It helps businesses visualize and design the customer journey, allowing them to set triggers and automate interactions based on customer behavior and preferences. Why is Customer Journey Automation Important for Businesses? In an era of higher customer expectations, businesses must provide a seamless and personalized experience at every touchpoint. Customer journey marketing automation is crucial because it helps businesses: Attract New Customers: By tracking and analyzing customer interactions, businesses can identify potential customers and tailor their marketing strategies to attract them more effectively. Engage and Nurture Existing Customers: Automation helps businesses maintain consistent communication with their customers, keeping them engaged and nurturing the relationship over time. Retain Customers and Reduce Churn: Providing a tailored and seamless experience enhances customer satisfaction, improving retention rates and reducing churn. Automate Repetitive Tasks: Automation tools can handle routine tasks, allowing employees to concentrate on more strategic and high-value activities. Streamline Customer Journeys: By mapping out the customer journey and automating essential processes, businesses can guarantee a seamless and efficient customer experience throughout their interaction. Benefits of Customer Journey Automation Implementing customer journey automation provides numerous advantages that can significantly enhance a business’s overall success. Here are some of the key advantages: 1. Personalized Customer Experience One of the most significant benefits of customer journey automation is the ability to provide a personalized experience for each customer. By tracking customer interactions and behaviors, businesses can tailor their communications and offers to meet each individual's needs and preferences. This level of personalization improves customer satisfaction and increases the likelihood of repeat purchases and brand loyalty. 2. Increased Efficiency and Reduced Errors Automation tools can take over repetitive tasks, such as sending follow-up emails or updating customer records, which reduces the risk of human error and increases overall efficiency. This allows employees to focus on more strategic activities, such as developing new marketing campaigns or improving customer service. 3. Omnichannel Integration Customer journey automation enables businesses to integrate various communication channels into a cohesive system, such as , social media marketing automation , and customer experience automation . This omnichannel approach ensures that customers have a seamless experience regardless of the platform they use to interact with the business. 4. Improved Data Management Automation platforms collect and analyze data from various sources, providing businesses with a comprehensive view of the customer journey. This data can be used to identify trends, measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, and make data-driven decisions that improve the overall customer experience. 5. Enhanced Marketing Strategies Customer journey automation tools can help businesses reassess and refine their marketing strategies by analyzing customer data and behaviors. This ensures that campaigns are targeted toward the right audience and are more likely to achieve the desired outcomes. Additionally, automation tools can provide detailed reports on campaign performance, allowing businesses to continuously optimize their marketing efforts. 6. Predictive Analysis Advanced customer journey automation platforms often include predictive analysis features powered by artificial intelligence (AI). These tools can analyze customer data to predict future behaviors and preferences, enabling businesses to proactively address customer needs and improve the overall experience. 7. Better Customer Retention A well-mapped and automated customer journey helps businesses identify and address potential pain points before they lead to customer dissatisfaction. By leveraging innovative SaaS marketing automation solutions, businesses can proactively identify and address these pain points, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction. Let’s break through your revenue hurdles We find your primary growth blockers, build expert-led strategies, and provide custom data-driven solutions to help you hit your revenue goals. Set up a 1:1 strategy call The 7 Steps of Mapping a Customer Journey Mapping a customer journey is a crucial step in understanding the customer experience and identifying areas for improvement. Here are the seven key steps involved in creating an effective customer journey map: 1. Define Objectives The first step in mapping a customer journey is to define the project's objectives. These objectives may include identifying challenges, optimizing conversion paths, or improving the user experience. Clearly defining the goals will guide the entire process and ensure the map serves its intended purpose. 2. Identify Buyer Personas Next, businesses must create detailed buyer personas representing their ideal customers. These personas should include information about customer behaviors, preferences, pain points, and motivations. Understanding these aspects will help businesses tailor the customer journey to meet the specific needs of their target audience. 3. List Touchpoints Businesses must identify all the touchpoints where customers interact with the brand. This includes online touchpoints like websites and social media and offline interactions like in-store visits or phone calls. Listing these touchpoints will help businesses understand how customers engage with the brand and create strategies to enhance the experience at each stage. 4. Identify Stages The customer journey should be divided into different stages: awareness, consideration, purchase, and post-purchase. Each stage represents a different phase of the customer’s interaction with the brand, and understanding these stages will help businesses tailor their strategies to meet customers' needs at each point in the journey. 5. Gather Data Data is the foundation of a practical customer journey map. Businesses should gather data from various sources, including customer feedback, website analytics, and competitive insights. This data will provide valuable information about customer behaviors, preferences, and pain points, which can be used to optimize the overall experience. 6. Visualize the Journey Once all the data has been collected, businesses should visually represent the customer journey. This map will provide a clear overview of the customer’s experience at each stage and help identify areas for improvement. A well-designed journey map can also be a valuable reference for future marketing and customer service initiatives. 7. Iterate and Refine The customer journey map is not a static document—it should be continually updated and refined as more data is collected and customer needs evolve. Regularly reviewing and updating the map will ensure that it remains relevant and continues to provide valuable insights into the customer experience. Choosing the Right Customer Journey Automation Platform Here are some factors to consider when choosing a platform: 1. Features and Capabilities Different automation platforms offer different features and capabilities. Businesses should create a list of must-have features based on their specific needs and conduct thorough research to find a platform that meets those requirements. Key features include omnichannel integration, predictive analysis, personalization capabilities, and detailed reporting. 2. User Interface The user interface of the automation platform should be intuitive and easy to use. A well-designed interface will make it easier for employees to navigate the platform and access the information they need to manage the customer journey effectively. 3. Cost Cost is an important consideration when choosing an automation platform. Businesses should compare the costs of various platforms and consider factors such as subscription fees, user licenses, and scalability. Choosing a platform that fits the budget while still offering the necessary features and capabilities is important. 4. Customer Support Another crucial factor to consider is the platform vendor's level of customer support. Businesses should look for vendors that offer 24/7 support, quick response times, and a variety of support channels (e.g., phone, email, and live chat). Additionally, consider whether the vendor offers training and onboarding services to help employees get up to speed with the platform. 5. Analytics and Reporting An effective customer journey automation platform should provide robust analytics and reporting features. These tools will help businesses track the performance of their marketing campaigns, measure customer satisfaction, and make data-driven decisions to improve the overall experience. Conclusion Customer journey automation is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance your marketing strategy. By understanding and optimizing the customer journey, businesses can create personalized experiences, improve efficiency, and drive growth. For organizations looking to implement or improve their customer journey marketing automation, exploring options with advanced marketing automation customer journey capabilities is essential. Ready to take your customer experience to the next level? Contact Saffron Edge to discover how our solutions can help you master customer journey automation and achieve your business goals. ...
read more
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get fresh stories, case studies, and
advice
from successful creators and industry experts.
Subscribe now
Get The Ultimate Marketing Toolkit
100+ Tools on SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, Social Media, Viral Marketing, CRO, and more.
Free Download