Thomas Ligor of New York is a marketing executive for the Chelsea Market. In the following article, Thomas Ligor discusses various ways businesses can streamline social media marketing through effective techniques.
In this day and age, businesses need to be aware of the power social media holds in terms of marketing. However, there’s more to posting than just uploading pictures and videos whenever the urge strikes. Thomas Ligor explains that there are techniques that should be instilled to ensure businesses make the most of their online presence, and drive sales, client relationships, and more.
Formulating a succinct strategy can make all the difference in how a business is perceived by the public, how much loyalty is built with clientele, and how successful the business is overall. It’s a key part of marketing, so it’s vital to approach it with care.
The “Why” in Marketing
The first, and most important step to social media marketing is finding a company’s why. Why are they going to social media to promote their business or brand? Thomas Ligor of New York explains that this can range from driving direct-to-consumer sales, boosting website engagement, improving ROI, or simply growing attention to a brand (for public figures, bands, and the like).
Businesses need to ensure that this goal is as clear and concise as possible. Though it may be tempting to choose a number of different wants during this point in planning, it will be far more effective marketing to focus on a singular goal and execute it well rather than attempting to fulfill multiple goals with no results.
Thomas Ligor says that an important acronym to remember when choosing a goal is to keep it SMART:
- Specific
- Measurable (through analytics, click-throughs, website tracking platforms, etc.)
- Attainable
- Relevant (is this goal worthwhile, and will it be in constant pursual?)
- Time-Bound
Create Customer Avatars
Regardless of what a business is offering, they need to understand who its ideal audience is. It’s easy to be broad: we make children’s clothes, we cater to couples finding their first home, etc. However, the problem is finding the ideal customer reports Thomas Ligor. Through pinpointing this, businesses and brands are able to curate a feed that appeals to exactly who they’re looking for.
To do this, businesses need to create an avatar. This is a fake customer who has their entire persona written out for them: their name, age, interests, where they live, occupation, and more. Are they single? Do they have kids? By finding this “ideal person”, a business can ask themselves “Would (avatar name) engage with this post?”.
Thomas Ligor of New York says that some businesses may have more than one avatar which is perfectly fine, but thoroughly fleshing out at least one can aid a company’s entire marketing presence- from startup, building a name and establishing itself as an authority, to an eventual brand refresh.
Starting A Clear Plan
Though there is a multitude of little details that go into social media marketing, taking a look at a general checklist before kickstarting an absolute social media plan can make the task appear less daunting.
Generally, Thomas Ligor explains that all companies and businesses can follow this three-step process to start their social media marketing plan on the right foot:
- Identifying platforms – Most companies are on all relevant social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and now, TikTok, but it’s important that each business only chooses to commit to what they can regularly update and engage with.
- Setting clear objectives – This step is all-encompassing, but it ensures that a marketing strategy runs smoothly. This means choosing and sticking to a posting schedule, gathering insights from high-performing posts, and pushing more like content, and ensuring that a feed looks clean, harmonious, and concise.
- Be ready to adjust – Platforms change their algorithms regularly, so consistently reviewing analytics to see what content is being pushed can make a huge difference. Thomas Ligor explains that companies should be prepared for changes on a whim, for example, switching from static posts to reels, posting earlier in the day, etc.
Evergreen Tips
Some techniques, however, aren’t time restricted and can be effective regardless of the platform or year. Here are some tips for posts that perform consistently well:
How-To’s and Tutorials
Instagram Stickers, specifically polls, quizzes, and questions boost audience engagement
Sale or incentive-driven posts, like contests and giveaways
News relevant to the niche. For example, cosmetic brands may capitalize on beauty-maven Rihanna’s Superbowl performance, or a budgeting company may make memes on the prices of eggs
And overall, Thomas Ligor of New York explains that businesses should commit to staying consistent. Followers, engagement, and sales don’t happen overnight, but sticking to a plan can make a notable difference. You can also use the web to find people’s information.
