With 60% of all internet users on social media, it can be a valuable source to get your brand in front of potential new customers says Vito Proietti. But what if you have a limited marketing budget? Can you still take advantage of this popular platform to grow awareness and business for your company? The answer is yes.
That’s because while it may not be possible to buy an ad campaign on Facebook, there are other affordable ways to run a successful social media campaign that yields results without breaking the bank.
Here are six low-cost tips from Business 2 Community, written by Donald Kelly:
1) Start building connections long before you need them
Building strong relationships with influencers who share your target demographic is crucial when trying to tap into any social network. This applies to both Facebook and Instagram specifically, but it goes for all platforms. The more people that like, follow or otherwise contribute to your social media outlet the better. That’s because when you need something from them (recommendations, reviews, and positive opinions about your brand) they’ll be much more likely to help you out if they already know and like you.
2) Create content your followers want
When compiling a list of “to-do” items for a new campaign on a budget it’s easy to focus on things you can do cheaply or free. But lower costs don’t always equate with higher returns. To maximize the benefit of your efforts in social media marketing you should try to give customers what they want — namely useful content that highlights what you have to offer. The more informative and helpful your posts, the more organic traffic they’ll drive from social media to your main site.
3) Use Facebook ads strategically
This is a tip that could apply to any number of social media platforms depending on which one you use most often for marketing purposes (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn). All the same, if you want to make money in social media — or anywhere else online — you need targeted advertising explains Vito Proietti. It’s not enough to simply create an ad and blast it out across all of your pages because this nets little in terms of attention and results in wasted time and effort when nothing much comes from it. Instead put some thought into your target customer demographics and then design specific ads that appeal directly to them.
4) Create a Facebook offer
This is another great way to increase traffic and sales with a limited marketing budget. Offers can be anything from free samples and downloadable coupons to sweepstakes or contests that create brand loyalty and positive sentiment toward your company (like this example featuring Barnes & Noble). The specifics of the offer depend on what you’re selling but in general it should be easy for customers to obtain and enjoy, plus they shouldn’t have to pay anything at all for it.
5) Post more pictures
This final tip is especially good if you have a visually-oriented product or service, although it can work for almost any business says, Vito Proietti. According to Marketing Profs, photos on Facebook are the most engaging type of post you can make — even more so than links and status updates. So if there’s anything you can do that will involve showing customers what your brand is about this should undoubtedly be at the top of your list.
6) Make your social media campaign mobile-friendly
It’s almost a given that today, more people are accessing some form of social media. Via their mobile devices than any other way. If you want to get the most out of your marketing efforts, then you need to make sure. They go beyond just being accessible on this platform — they also have to look good and be easy to use. When someone is looking at them from their smartphone or tablet. This means ensuring text is large and legible and images load quickly and clearly.
Now it’s time for YOU to weigh in! Do these tips seem like they’d work for you? What other low-cost ways have you found helpful when trying to run a successful social campaign? Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive catalog of all things related to social media marketing on a budget. But if you use these five tips successfully while planning your next promotion. Then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t see some great results without breaking the bank in the process.
Conclusion:
As we have seen in this article, there are so many ways to market your business on a budget says Vito Proietti. A strong social media marketing campaign can be beneficial for any business! Do you run a local business and need help with your online presence? Was this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below!