Extended screen time has become a norm during the COVID-19 pandemic. People rely on their phones and computers to get work done, for news, and even for leisure. Extended screen time during the pandemic increased to five hours, leaving heavy users spending 17 hours of their day on their screens and an average of 30 hours per week for non-heavy users. The increase in screen time has brought a silver lining for business owners.
The rise of social media in advertising
Marketing via social media is a form of marketing that utilizes social media platforms to promote and get in touch with new or existing customers. It is also a great way to promote a company’s brand and tone and reach a wider audience.
The pandemic has blindsided many businesses as quarantine restrictions go full throttle, leaving many establishments closed for an indefinite time. However, some businesses have changed the way they operate to stay afloat. Many consumers rely on the Internet more than ever to gather information on products of interest and make purchases. With many establishments being closed and the quarantine preventing people from going out, shopping for goods and even services has become online. Big online corporations such as Amazon, Shein, Target, and AliExpress have gained more sales throughout the pandemic.
Smaller businesses are challenged to compete with an influx of people resorting to these big online markets. The easiest and perhaps the only option they have to reach an audience under the restrictions posed by the pandemic is through social media advertising. Digital marketing has become a crucial part for many businesses, new and old, in 2021. Even established companies that have greatly been affected by the pandemic have resorted to maintaining their relevance through social media marketing. Ryanair does this cleverly by being active and trending on TikTok.
How to gain social media clout
Curious about how to be successful as a business in digital marketing? Here are some key tips you may want to pay attention to when building your audience.
1. Choose a platform to advertise on
Choose a platform where your target audience is on. Facebook is a place for everyone of all ages but is predominantly active towards older adults. Twitter and TikTok are for teenagers and young adults. Instagram is also a place where most businesses advertise their products as Instagram has more or less become its very own marketplace. Of course, being present on all these platforms gives you a better chance of attracting an array of customers.
2. Pay attention to trends
If you’re present on TikTok, you will notice that different trends are going on each month. Paying attention to these trends and participating in them can land you on the hot page where you can maximize your engagements. This goes the same with other platforms. For example, Wendy’s has been famous on Twitter for its sassy comebacks that almost always go viral.
3. Pay attention to your analytics
All social media platforms have what we call an analytics feature that presents your engagements and who and where it is coming from. It also is a great tool to tell you what kind of content your viewers would like to see more from you. So you should take advantage of this feature and maximize it.
4. Be consistent
Stay on top of your social media’s algorithm by posting consistently. Active accounts often have a better chance of getting engagements from people compared to those that rarely post. This is important when you’re new to building an audience.
5. Use hashtags
Use hashtags in your posts. Hashtags are often a way for people to find what they’re looking at. Using the trending or most commonly viewed hashtags gives you a good boost in exposure. Research these trending hashtags every month so that you can stay up to date with them.
6. Interact with your market
Posting is not enough. You must also interact with your audience, respond to their questions or requests. Make sure to make yourself look approachable and attentive towards them. Today, consumers cannot actively judge a product with their five senses, so they need a guarantee that what they’re getting is worth their money.
Building your audience is a good way of putting yourself out there. In a place where people rely on the Internet for product scouting rather than traditional physical advertising, it is best that your business transition to digital marketing too. It is foreseen that digital advertising and marketing will be the primary medium of business advertising as technology and digitalization advance.
