In the current social media marketing scenario, you’ve got to go big or go home. The reason for this is simple. Everyone’s vying for consumer attention. Such is competition that if you don’t step into this “virtual battlefield” armed to dominate with your own social media marketing strategy, you’re likely to disappear into obscurity before you have time to process what’s really happened. It is really amazing how a virtual place can be a battlefield for those who want to reign over business marketing. Almost every business is building their own secret weapon to prepare for war against their competitors; big or small. Some marketers hire an army of experts to make a leap above everyone. Some hire a dozen blacksmiths to create different weapons (read: products, for you prudes), then sell it to those who need it right when they most need it. Each has one thing in common: an impeccable marketing strategy to dictate the war.
Let me help you to design an effective social media marketing strategy in order for you to execute the perfect battle plan and dominate your enemies in the virtual world!
- Play the observation game
If we’re talking about dominating a competitor, you can’t do it without watching your competitor closely; being observant of what they’re putting out into the social networking world. Be mindful of the content they post, make notes of what you think works for them and plot your own plan of action based on where you think you can bridge the gap. Know when to swoop in with your own groundbreaking solution to pressing customer problems. Always be watchful; never lose sight of what your competitors are doing at any given point of the game.
- Pick your specialty
In order to be the best, the first thing you need to do is to know yourself. In the world of marketing, fewer things are fiercer than a competitor who knows exactly where they stand and never steer from their goal. Think about it, you won’t ever be considered a specialist when you have your finger in every pie. Pick your niche and stick to it. Always separate yourself from noise and clutter. Be unafraid to choose a road less traveled, if only to build authority in your chosen field and gain the trust of your followers. Focus on quality and not quantity. Share valuable content consistently to stand out from riff-raff. Soon enough your followers will be able to identify that you’re a serious player in the field and will turn to you for answers. Now if that isn’t a great way to beat out competition, I don’t know what is.
- Be open to change
The most successful strategy isn’t one that’s rigid and inflexible. Know when to change, just the way you ought to be able to recognize when to persevere. If you observe how your target audience reacts to your product, you’ll be able to easily gauge the next course of action. A smart marketer knows when to step in and admit failure and get on with the game to come up with something bigger and better. I always say that most times, the customer will openly tell you what he’s looking for. You just need to learn to listen and deliver at the right time. Timing is everything. If you notice your competitor lacking in this department, you have your in. You’ll know exactly when to intervene and introduce your solution. As they say, the rest is history. Your product is likely to sell itself.
- Upgrade your content
Ever heard of the saying, “Content is King?” Your content is everything. You need to bring your content up to the next level in order to encourage better engagement, especially if you’re using social media to promote it. I follow the 3 R’s of content creation and would recommend it to anyone looking to build lasting relationships with their followers and outdo competition. Your content needs to be reliable, relevant and real to your target audience. That’s your battle half-won. The next step is to use content that can be easily consumed. I’m a big fan of visuals, but here are my top suggestions on how to ensure your content is easily consumed.
- Use visuals – Attaching pictures or videos to your tweets or posts attracts audiences far more than walls of text. Isn’t that why Instagram is picking up so awesomely?
- Use headlines that are engaging – Your content is everything, but your content won’t get read if your headlines aren’t catchy; read: catchy, not to be confused with gimmicky. Without it, your content goes nowhere.
- Less is always more – This speaks for itself. Speak less, show more.
How would you recommend a business dominate its competitor on social media? Let me know in the comments below!
Related Reading: HEALTHY SOCIAL MEDIA HABITS ALL COMPANIES SHOULD ADOPT
