Autumn is such a great season. The air gets a tad cooler, football season has kicked off, and of course, pumpkin spice lattes have returned. (If you’re into that!) Yet for marketers, the coming of fall means Q4 is here, and the pressure is on in a big way.
You should have spent your summer ramping up and strategizing for the upcoming busy season. If you spent a little too much time at the beach and failed to prepare, don’t panic. You still have just enough to get started.
You may be asking why is it so important to act now? Social media isn’t going anywhere, right? Here are just a few reasons why you can’t postpone social media marketing any longer.
Your budget depends on it.
For many companies, the end of the year means restructuring budgets. Did your marketing team spend less than originally projected? Those leftover funds may cost you that same amount in 2019’s budget, thereby losing out on your chance to make your mark online in the future. To put it simply, if you don’t use it, you may lose it. On the other hand, if you’re planning your 2019 budget – have you included a social media budget? Do you know what that figure should be?
You might be wondering what exactly there is to pay for when it comes to social media marketing. After all, signing up and creating a page is free. Well because of social media’s effectivity and potential to reach your ideal audience, over 50 million other companies are already using these sites for marketing purposes. As you could imagine, some of those may be your competitors. Paid advertising options exist so you can have an advantage. Rising above in the sea of other companies on Facebook, Twitter, and other sites is essential to the success of your social media.
Additionally, your marketing efforts won’t get you very far without exceptional content. You will need stunning visuals, compelling copy, innovative video, and much more. As you can imagine, there is a cost for making the kind of content that stops your readers in their tracks and gets them interested in your brand. Whether you are spending money on material or outsourcing to a team of pros, your content deserves attention.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
The research is in. People flock to social media from mid-October to the end of January more than any other time of the year. Whether they are hunting for the best Black Friday deals or sending out their holiday wishes to friends and family, they are using the same location – social media platforms. This is why it is paramount that your business has a presence on these sites and your content is tailored to the right audience. Social media marketing can help you stand in the spotlight during this special season no matter if your target audience is down the road or all across the globe.
Get exactly what you asked for.
Every company makes their money in different ways. For example, some depend on website clicks while others require customers to visit their physical location. This is one of the most significant reasons as to why social media marketing works. Your strategy should be customized to meet exactly what your company needs. This is particularly helpful when the holiday season hits and you have sales your customers need to know about, or you have a new e-commerce site that is ready for things like the Cyber Monday rush, but you need to raise awareness. It’s up to you to choose how social media works.
End 2018 strong and begin 2019 with a bang!
I have talked to many business owners who say that a majority of their returning customers found them during the holiday rush. It may be thanks to a Black Friday doorbuster, a Small Business Saturday sale (yes, that exists, and social media has made it huge!), or a gift from a loved one that brought their attention to the brand, a lot of customers choose new companies to stick with for the new year. This is why raising brand awareness and online visibility cannot be overlooked during these following months.
Are you ready?
Social media marketing will help legitimize your brand and get people talking about your business online. There’s never a better time for it than the busiest season. Everyone is buzzing about, make sure your company isn’t left in the stone age!
