Social Media Marketing: How Being Virtually Social Can Increase Traffic

Using social media marketing to increase web traffic may be simple, but it’s not an entirely passive action. Slapping a “follow” button with a link to Twitter and Facebook helps customers find your social networking profiles but it doesn’t exactly engage them. Social media marketing if done actively can help boost credibility for your company, target messages to your audience and most importantly engaging and influencing your target demographic. Here are few social media marketing outlets that may help turn one-time website visitors into your company’s top virtual consultant:

EXPRESS YOURSELF: A blog is a social media marketing outlet that allows you to get real with your clients. While you should never use this as an outlet to trash talk competitors or compare “Born This Way” to “Express Yourself,” it can be a way for your clients to not only get to know you, but also understand a little more about the skill-set of your company. And having a blog that allows comments holds you accountable to your audience.

HOT OR NOT: A company that can allow their audience to express their feelings through reviews and ratings right on their website can be a powerful testimony to the company’s quality. Given that potential new clients do not have to seek a third-party source for this information, this not only benefits the client, but also helps hold the company to a high customer service standard. Polls, voting and contests also provide invaluable feedback without asking the participants to identify themselves.

OH SNAP: If a picture is worth a thousand words, then allowing your clients to upload photos of them enjoying your products might be like writing your own self-help book. Social media marketing in the form of user-generated content can be fun, but have restrictions in place so that it’s kept to G-rated enjoyment.