Social media marketing is a crucial element in every business’s online advertising strategy. But as more businesses post ever more ads getting noticed, followed, and successful becomes ever more difficult.

Media Junkies have identified the top ten strategies, used by the most successful small and large businesses. Let these tips guide your online marketing strategies:

1. Have a well thought-out plan

It sounds almost ridiculous, but most social media marketing failures happen because of an ill-conceived or poorly thought-out plan.

• What do you want for your business: Improved customer loyalty, greater product visibility, or any of a hundred other business goals?
• What steps must your marketing campaign take to achieve this goal: Are there key performance indicators, pre-existing social capital you can use, threats from competitors etc.?

2. Master two social media platforms before expanding.

It’s important to build a strong base in your audience’s primary platform before branching out to new markets.

3. Be consistent

A social media strategy requires work. Communicating your message, measuring its impact, and responding to the new insights are crucial to marketing success.

4. Build credibility

First gather a community of people interested in the message you have to give. Then build trust with the members of that community though engagement and responsiveness to their needs.

5. Create quality content

There’s no point talking if you have nothing anybody wants (or needs) to hear. Quality content is the driver that attracts and engages your target market.

6. Know your audience

There is no substitute to understanding the motivations, desires, and attitudes of your target market. Understanding them allows for opportunities to be recognised, threats avoided, and reputations built.

7. Create social media events

Once you’ve got your market engaged then get them involved. Run competitions or contests; ask for opinions through surveys and emails; host webinars and guest podcasts.

8. Use unique images for your business pages

Arresting and attractive images get noticed. Once your image is noticed push for engagement by asking for comments about the image. Respond to those comments and build your community.

9. Have a point of difference

‘If you do what everyone does, you’ll get what everyone has.’ Stand out by being unique, approachable, and original. Give prospective customers clear reasons to deal with your business rather than your competitors.

10. Be patient

It’s not always the biggest campaign that wins. Very often it’s the campaign that outlasts its competitors. Plus building relationships with audiences takes time. Use this time to measure what matters with customers. Don’t be afraid to change your strategies if the data suggests it.

There are many moving parts to a successful online marketing campaign. Those who get it right are able to blend and incorporate all of the above elements.

But it’s one thing knowing what to do and quite another doing it.

Media Junkies have the experience and expertise, the ability and the awareness to boost your brand or business online.

Be noticed, be followed, be successful with Media Junkies.