An endless stream of articles outline ways to maximize the effectiveness of your social media campaigns. Rarely, however, do you hear anyone speak highly of the ROI they get from Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and other forms of social media. In short, it’s a lot of work for little reward. Who cares if you have 3,000 Twitter fans and a healthy stream of daily tweets if the net result is one or two visitors to your blog or website? Does it have to be that way? Can you transform your social media efforts to see better results?
Recently there were two 2013 predictions for social media that caught my eye. First, consumers understand that by doing nothing more than showing up to a social media site, they provide a lot of value to businesses. As a result, 2013 may be the year that consumers start to demand compensation for interacting with your business. Coupons, small gifts, or virtual currency are a few of the ways they may seek to be rewarded. What can you give them in return for their engagement?
Second, if you feel as if big social media sites are so commercialized that it’s hard to be noticed, keep in mind that consumers feel that way too. They are as tired of it as you are. For this reason, smaller more niche-oriented sites may see a large-scale uptick in users. Users want to utilize social media in a way that relationships are developed. Have you devoted any of your time to those sites that are outside of the mainstream?
What All This Means for You
What do the financially-focused trends in social media mean for you now? It means that if you want to receive more reward for your social media efforts, you have to embrace these changes. Don’t assume that you are adding value simply by providing information. Instead, add a tangible way for your consumers to save or earn real money by engaging with you. Next, become familiar with smaller social media sites such as Path and NextDoor. Focus on building relationships rather than selling products.
Finally
None of this matters if your content is not well written, visually appealing, and targeted to a goal. Social media is a form of advertising and there is a reason successful companies contract their advertising efforts with professionals instead of shooting commercials over the lunch hour.