Our virtual existence today determines our social existence. The way we update our status, whereabouts & interactions on social forums. We create our personal and social experiences to shape our online social identities. All that we share and post online represents our personality, thoughts, interest areas and worldly perceptions. Our virtual identity has a purpose behind it, whether it is to inform, entertain, acknowledge or broadcast. Does this define Social Media? Yes, I believe to some extent.
Social media enables / facilitates / empowers in various ways possible. Whether you are a public figure, own a brand, or a normal individual, social media offersusa plethora of options to connect with a wide base of groups and individuals. Whether you consider Facebook, Instagram or Twitter; all these are massive platforms with specific features giving us options to develop and grow business, influence prospects and develop a need for product / brand and to a great extent helps in all types of communication. Sometimes they help us deal with crises so much better!
For instance, a lifestyle B2C brand can promote various products / offers. Similarly, the channel can be used by a chemical fertilizers company to salvage a crisis situation and create a positive vibe. A household brand like Maggie today uses every social channel to bring back its lost fame in India.
If we consider a Real Estate player, I believe that using a social media platform is quite rational. It not just helps in lead generation, but also helps promote their projects in a big way.
Moreover, it’s not just about having a social media account or content; businesses must look for ways to positively impact the sales and create a positive PR vibe for the brand. They need to explore ways to reach new people and acquire customers using social media platforms.
The biggest benefit of social media presence is to get a direct, unbiased feedback from your customers. This is useful in any situation and at any stage of a company’s life cycle.
Having listed the benefits of social media, it is important to know how to deliver the intended message to the target audience. It is important to know how to cast the right spell with the right message.
Here we move to the next level, to understand who would consumes these messages and whether they could be our lucky mascots. These mascots are none other than social media influencers. They are your unclaimed voices who can create the right vibe for you or your product.
Social Influencer Marketing enables strong customer loyalty, develop engaging content and above all define trends. They act as an extension of a word-of-mouth marketing channel and cater to different customer channels.
The various roles an influencer engages in are:
Social Media Influencers play their part at various levels.
How and why do you engage with them?
‘How’ part of the query is simple. They are all there on the social network. It could be friends, colleagues, celebrities, employees, etc. Your job is to identify them and remain true to the virtues of your brand. They can be your friends who will tell you the truth and also support you at the right time.
Why?
It’s not just about selling your products, it is much more important to engage the visitors on your social channels with what you are. Build a reputation even when the visitor is not inclined to buy your products. It reinforces the trust factor and builds confidence in the brand.
It helps in initiating a dialogue between business and customers, against the traditional advertising and promotion campaigns. This approach seems more authentic. Businesses/brands have high grounds to achieve. Today people want entertainment, information, and relevant content almost at the same time. Offer appropriate content to them, and they’ll create value for you.
