Last week I talked about my favorite 5 social media marketing tips for bloggers but this week, I wanna go ahead and talk about how to create a social media strategy for a business that sells physical products. (Service-based businesses, try this post instead.)
When it comes to creating a social media marketing strategy for a business that sells physical products, there are a few key things you need to keep in mind. Plus, we’re also gonna dive into my favorite 5 social media marketing tips and what to do when your social media marketing strategy isn’t working the way you expected.
Why Should You Care About creating a Social Media Marketing strategy?
There are a few reasons why social media marketing is so important for product-based businesses. First, social media platforms are incredibly user-friendly. Anyone with a computer and an internet connection can use them to share their content and connect with potential customers. Second, social media platforms are highly influential. A study by Forbes found that 65% of consumers make purchase decisions based on what they see online. Finally, social media marketing is affordable. Compared to other forms of advertising, it’s relatively affordable to run a successful social media campaign.
The Key Factors You Need to Consider When Creating a Social Media Marketing Strategy
1. Tone. When designing your social media marketing strategy, it’s important to make sure that your tone is consistent throughout the entire campaign. It should be light and fun, but also honest and credible.
2. Goals. Before you even start creating your social media content, you need to have goals in mind for the campaign. What do you want to achieve? How will your followers react to your posts? Don’t post just to clog the feed – post something that has a goal and tell your audience what you want them to do.
3. Platforms. It’s important to choose a platform that will best suit your business and its target audience. For example, Instagram is great for visual content, while Twitter is better suited for shorter bursts of information.
4. Frequency & Timing. Just because you have a strategy doesn’t mean you have to stick to it rigidly! Tweak it as needed in order to achieve specific goals and attract the right kind of followers.
5. Budget & Timeframe. Don’t forget about budget and timeline when planning your social media marketing strategy! Make sure that you account for both when choosing platforms and creating content. Even if you don’t plan to advertise, your time is worth something. Be sure to budget accordingly.
5 Social Media Marketing Tips for Product-Based Businesses
You’ll undoubtedly find hundreds of social media marketing strategy tips around the web, but most of them are just different ways of saying the same thing. Here are my best 5 social media marketing tips for product-based businesses like yours that will actually deliver results
1. Start by understanding your target market.
First and foremost, you need to understand your target market. What are their interests? What do they like? Once you know this, it’s easier to start creating content that speaks to them. For example, if your target market is interested in fashion, you might create a blog post about the latest fashion trends happening around the world. If your target market is parents of kids who love playing sports, you might post about the latest sports equipment on the market.
2. Build a relationship with your customers.
Secondly, make sure to build a relationship with your customers. Don’t just post random updates without any context or explanation – give your customers a reason to follow you and stay connected with you. This can be done by personally answering customer questions, sending out freebies or coupons related to what they’ve purchased from you in the past, or even hosting live chats where customers can ask questions and receive help from the team at your business.
3. Utilize social media platforms effectively.
Now that you have a good understanding of your target market and how they interact with social media platforms, it’s time to start utilizing social media platforms effectively! Each platform has its own unique advantages and disadvantages – so make sure to use each one to its fullest potential! Some popular social media platforms for businesses that sell physical products include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest (just to name a few). It really depends on the type of business you have – so be sure to consult with an expert if you need help getting started!
4. Be personal.
When it comes to social media marketing, the key is to be PERSONAL. Yes, that means being genuine and authentic – not just posting generic “content” and expecting your followers to “like” or share it automatically. You need to put in the extra effort (and time) to connect with your followers on a personal level and show them that you’re one of them. This will help create a trusting relationship – one that customers are more likely to return to and recommend your business to their friends.
5. Stay up-to-date with current trends.
One of the most important things you can do when it comes to social media marketing is to stay on top of current trends! Trends change frequently – so if you don’t keep up, your followers might start thinking you’re out of touch (or even outdated!). Make sure to check out popular social media platforms regularly in order to stay ahead of the curve and ensure that your content is engaging and relevant to your target market.
What to Do If Your Social Media plan of action Isn’t Working
If your social media strategy isn’t working, there are a few things you can do to get it back on track:
1. Give it three months.
If you’ve been trying to implement a social media marketing strategy and it’s not working as planned, give it at least three months before giving up completely. If you keep trying and tweaking your plan, you might be able to find a more successful approach that works better for your business.
2. Evaluate your results.
Before making any big changes to your social media strategy, take some time to evaluate the results – both good and bad. Maybe you didn’t get as many hits to your website as you planned, but have you started to see traction? What about other factors such as engagement rates? It could just be that your strategy is working, but for the wrong goals and needs to be tweaked with better CTAs or different content (Reels vs. the feed, for example) This will help you determine whether or not the changes you’ve made are actually helping your business achieve its goals.
3. Reevaluate your target market.
When it comes to targeting your social media marketing strategy, make sure to reevaluate who you’re targeting! Are they people who are already interested in what you have to offer? Or are they people who might be interested in what you have to offer if you appeal to them on a personal level? It can be helpful (and even necessary) to change up your approach from time to time in order to reach the most engaged and responsive followers possible.
4. Double-check your assumptions.
It can be easy (and tempting) to jump into new social media platforms without first verifying whether or not those platforms are a good fit for your business – or even if they’re appropriate for your target market! Make sure to do some research before jumping into any new territory – this will help ensure that all of your assumptions about the platform are correct and that the content you produce is effective and relevant.
5. Evaluate your current strategy.
First, take a step back and evaluate your current social media marketing strategy. Are the goals you set for yourself being met? Are the channels you’re using providing the results you were hoping for? Once you have a better understanding of where you currently stand, it will be much easier to make changes that will improve your overall performance.
6. Identify new opportunities.
Sometimes all it takes is finding a new opportunity to jumpstart your social media marketing efforts. Maybe there’s another platform or type of content that could work better for your business. Or maybe there’s a new way to market through social media that you hadn’t considered before. If you haven’t tried something before, it might be worth giving it a shot – especially if potential benefits such as increased traffic and conversion rates are involved.
7. Make sure you’re tracking the right data.
No matter how much you plan and strategize, it’s always important to track the social media impact of your content. This will help you identify areas where you need to make changes or improve your strategy. Seeing real, tangible results will help you stay motivated and keep moving forward.
8. Be tactical about your social media marketing efforts.
While it’s important to have an overarching strategy, don’t forget that each social media platform is different and requires its own level of attention and expertise. When planning your marketing activities, be sure to take into account the specific features and capabilities of each platform – this will help ensure that your efforts are as effective as possible.
9. Be prepared for setbacks.
Like anything else in life, social media marketing won’t always go according to plan – there will be times when things don’t go as planned and you’ll experience setbacks along the way (some inevitable and some not so inevitable). Don’t get discouraged; these bumps in the road can actually be a good thing if they lead to a more refined and effective strategy down the line.
And last but not least….
10….stay positive!
Social media can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it can also be tough – especially when things don’t go as planned. So remember to stay positive, take the time to reflect on your successes, and stay motivated when things get tough.
Tools I Like to Use for Social Media Strategy
While my social media strategy probably varies from your plans, that doesn’t mean I don’t understand the power behind what social media can do. Here are the apps and tools I’ve used in the past and always recommend to my clients.
Here’s my post comparing the two
Twitter + Facebook
- PromoRepublic
