Buzz
As a social media marketer, your task is to promote your company's services and products across a variety of online platforms. You'll also use consumer insights to connect, influence, and engage with potential customers. Seems easy enough, right? But where do you begin? It can be a daunting question, but you might be more ready than you think. After all, you’ve been cultivating your own personal brand and growing your social media presence. With a few tips, you'll be well on your way to mastering social media marketing.
Steps
Building Essential Skills
Concentrate on the top three social media platforms. Contrary to what you might believe, it's more effective to specialize in a couple of platforms rather than spreading yourself too thin across many. The key platforms for social media advertising include Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
- Social media platforms evolve frequently, which can make older strategies less effective. Focusing on one or two platforms is easier than staying on top of multiple sites.
- Stay informed about updates by subscribing to marketing blogs or receiving platform newsletters, such as Facebook’s Marketing Partner Weekly Update.
- Look for online resources to master the marketing strategies for your chosen platforms. Many experts offer valuable tips through their YouTube channels or Facebook pages.
- What works best depends on your industry, the platform you’re using, and your target audience. Regularly test different types of posts to stay ahead of the curve.
Understand your target audience. Each industry requires a tailored marketing strategy. Choose an industry that sparks your passion, whether it's technology, fashion, or automotive, so you can stay engaged and bring fresh insights. Dive into online communities such as forums and discussion boards to see what customers are talking about. These conversations will give you valuable insights into your audience's needs.
- Create a Reddit account and join relevant subreddits to track the latest discussions in your industry.
- Research can be fun! Organize your findings with color-coded spreadsheets in Google Sheets or Excel to outline key topics in your industry. This will help diversify your posts and keep them relevant.
Study the marketing tactics of successful brands. Follow brands you admire on your chosen platforms. Take note of their strategies and ask yourself: 'What can I learn from this? How could I adapt this to my own approach? How would I use this to promote my own products?' It’s normal to talk through these ideas—it's a good practice!
- Bookmark or screenshot your favorite campaigns to inspire your future marketing efforts.
- Set up an RSS feed to keep up with marketing news from top sources like AdAge, PSFK, Creativity Magazine, and eMarketer.
Get into the habit of posting and updating consistently. Even simple updates, like your Facebook status, will help you get accustomed to frequent posting. Push through when you're feeling tired—it'll become second nature with time. Keep it up! With more practice, you'll improve your rhythm.
- Avoid overwhelming your audience with repetitive posts. Keep your content fresh, relevant, and useful to prevent them from unfollowing or blocking you.
Volunteer or intern to gain hands-on experience. Just like a secret agent observing the pros, volunteering or interning allows you to learn from experienced marketers. Pay attention to what works, and avoid strategies that seem good in theory but fail in practice.
- Reach out to local organizations, such as charities, schools, or businesses, and offer to volunteer your marketing expertise.
- Start a personal blog on topics related to your chosen industry, or write a weekly blog for a local business to boost your experience and credibility.
Creating a Strong Professional Network
Engage with social groups in your field. Platforms like Meetup or Sprout Social can connect you with individuals interested in your marketing industry. Build genuine relationships with them, offering your support and expertise in return. These connections may prove to be invaluable later on.
- Share your recent projects and upcoming plans with people in your field, subtly showcasing your specific skills and interests.
- Search for professional events such as mixers, expos, or associations like the New York Social Media Club or New Media Expo. Attend these gatherings and exchange your business cards with others.
Strengthen your online presence. Participate in industry-related discussions on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Build your follower base and work with press release agencies to get your social media profiles featured on popular news sites. A strong following will make you an attractive candidate to potential employers.
- Increase engagement on your Facebook page by sharing relevant posts or groundbreaking research from others in your industry.
- Engage with influencers in your field on Twitter by mentioning them in your tweets with an @ symbol, or link to their posts on Facebook to initiate conversations.
- Capture attention by responding to posts and voicing your opinions on key issues in a respectful manner.
Build meaningful connections with fellow marketers. Your schedule is likely packed, but why not carve out an hour each week to check in with clients and colleagues?
- Call your contacts briefly, offering a personal touch by saying something like, “I’m a bit busy today, but I just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing.”
- Reach out via email using a simple template, adding personalized remarks to keep the communication warm and natural.
Collaborate with fellow social media marketers. Marketing can feel overwhelming, but as the saying goes, "Many hands make light work." After establishing professional relationships, consider teaming up for a personal project, such as promoting an event or supporting a professional organization you’re involved with.
- Address skill gaps by partnering with someone who excels in areas where you're not as strong.
- For example, you might approach someone with, "I’ve got Twitter covered, but managing both Twitter and Facebook would be too much for me. How about we collaborate, and you handle Facebook?"
- Bonus alert: Your project will gain more visibility thanks to the combined social media followings of both collaborators.
Securing a Job
Gather data and testimonials to validate your abilities. Utilize analytic tools like Google Analytics, Datahero, or Yahoo Web Analytics to track engagement on your media platforms. Platforms like Facebook also offer built-in tools, such as the “Insights” tab for business pages.
- Focus on the key metrics that demonstrate growth, cost savings, and time efficiency. Organize these insights in a spreadsheet for easy access.
- Employers love concrete evidence of your expertise. Rather than making vague claims, be specific: "I boosted unique views by 250% over three months."
- Be honest in your reporting. If you're asked to verify your data and you can't, your credibility could take a hit.
Build a strong portfolio. Curate a collection of your best work, complete with a table of contents and a brief introduction that covers your background, objectives, and what’s included in the portfolio. Show off your versatility with samples from various projects.
- Include integrated marketing campaigns, innovative ideas, and successful campaigns as portfolio highlights.
- Consider uploading your digital portfolio to professional platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook.
- Bring a printed copy to interviews for an extra touch of professionalism. Ensure it’s printed on high-quality paper and stored in a clean binder.
Guard your online reputation. The saying “loose lips sink ships” rings especially true when it comes to maintaining your online presence. An impulsive post in a heated moment could cost you followers and harm your standing in the online community. Think carefully before sharing anything.
- To avoid posting something inappropriate, consider running your content by a friend, colleague, or supervisor before hitting ‘publish’.
- If you're feeling emotional, take a breather before posting. When in doubt, wait a day or two to reconsider.
- Consistency is crucial for a strong image. Avoid irregular posting or controversial content that could make you appear unreliable.
Craft a distinctive resume. Think of applying for a job as marketing yourself. Create a standout resume that showcases your creativity. Use subtle graphics or visuals to highlight your design skills. Include links to your professional and personal social media profiles. Demonstrate your understanding of what clients want and how to effectively promote it.
- Incorporate visual elements like photos or memes to catch the employer’s eye. Show that you can integrate engaging visuals into your work.
Start applying for jobs. Explore social media marketing opportunities at top agencies. Expand your search using job aggregator sites like Indeed, LinkedUp, and Monster. Don’t overlook classified ads, either—check newspapers and websites like Craigslist for marketing roles.
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As a social media marketer, strong collaboration skills are essential, as you'll frequently work alongside other departments within your organization.
