In order to measure your engagement, it is important to know what your goals are for being online

In 2020, online sales went from being optional to being utterly necessary, and that left many small and medium businesses (SMBs) in a lurch. Managing a physical store and an online store is double the work, and that drew people to reach out to a marketing agency like ours. Working with diverse business owners has taught us a lot. One main takeaway is that there is no uniform approach to managing clients’ online marketing––especially their social media.

 

For many businesses, hiring an agency to help with your online marketing comes after a series of failed attempts to juggle everything yourself. We know that managing your digital presence can be overwhelming, with many people trying to utilize their younger employees’ online knowledge to help manage their own. The failure to launch that many brands experience can be the result of several predictable factors, and as a marketing agency specializing in the digital presence of our clients, we work collaboratively with our clients to facilitate success in every aspect of online marketing. Social media is one piece of the larger end-to-end structure, but it is often one of the most important aspects of your online presence.

3 REASONS BUSINESSES FAIL TO LAUNCH A MEANINGFUL SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE.N AFFECT YOUR WEBSITE PERFORMANCE?

There are no clear KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

 

Many entrepreneurs know that they need to be on social media, but they fail to have a clear idea of why it is important. When we onboard new clients, we often see that there is a gap between wanting a social media presence and what being on social media will accomplish. Setting clear goals is a necessary component of working with an agency. For the best success, have an idea of what your goals might be so you can build on them with your agency’s expert guidance.

 

Lacking a sense of what engagement actually looks like for your business

 

Many people measure their social media success by the number of followers they have or the likes they receive, and yet, neither of these things directly correlate to conversions. In order to measure your engagement, it is important to know what your goals are for being online so that you can measure the success of your social media streams. Once you have KPIs set, you can review your social media presence more effectively. Your goals for engagement may vary drastically from the goals of another business, and the way you build your content plans and your social media following will vary drastically from someone else.

 

There is no branded content strategy

 

What is the vibe of your social media? When building a social presence that is effective, having a strong, clear voice is essential––but you can’t do it alone. Your marketing agency is there to help you create a concise brand voice that will span each facet of your online presence, including social media. One common mistake we notice? Many brands replicate content they admire instead of taking risks to create content that inspires. This ultimately leads to lukewarm engagement or being overlooked.

 

THE GOLDEN RULE OF BUILDING AN ONLINE PRESENCE.

The number one rule for building an audience is: it takes time, be patient. Taking the time to build an audience that seeks out your content and acts on your calls to action is slow work, but it will always pay off in the long run. Anything that you accomplish in a quick way, will ultimately be unfruitful. Buying followers, going viral… these will land you many followers, but they will drop off just as soon as they arrive if you don’t have a meaningful sense of your business’ content strategy. They are great tactics to draw people to your pages, however, they need to be part of a comprehensive strategy for social media management to be effective.

Taking the time to build an audience that seeks out your content and follows your calls to action is slow work, but it will always pay off in the long run.

In the same way you build a following at your brick-and-mortar location, the same approach is necessary for your social media. Repeat customers are drawn to strong brands with a clear vision––your social media is the perfect place to show off your dedication to your products, no matter what they are. In addition, building an audience slowly allows you to soundboard ideas and find a clear voice that keeps your audience engaged. Building a community requires attentive care, which means delivering intentional content, quality products, and easy access to your website.

 

COLLABORATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Working with a marketing agency doesn’t mean handing off your login information, and it doesn’t mean you will get thousands of followers overnight. Working collaboratively is the best way to build an engaged audience. An engaged audience will respond to your calls to action, share your products and content with others, and continue to interact with your pages.

Growing together is a strategy for meaningful, and long-term connection between marketing agency and client. Building relationships is at the core of successful marketing. Your agency works alongside you to deliver content, copy, and goals that can streamline your social feed and allow you to focus on your clients.

 

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR MARKETING AGENCY?

Research is key to your business’ success

We collect and analyze data on campaign performance, reach, competitor analysis, click-throughs, and conversions. In addition, we research relevant hashtags and businesses you should network with––all while actively re-assessing your KPIs to ensure your business is on track.

 

Creativity is the best way to get your social streams noticed

Not only does stock imagery not sell your brand, but we also don’t like to use it when we have a talented media team. We combine graphic design, photography, and video to build your digital presence.

 

Well-written copy is as valuable as your graphics

Having creative yet concise calls to action is as important as your visual content. Good copy leads potential customers to your products and services.

 

Scheduled posting allows you consistency and planning

Seeing your Instagram grid or Facebook posting schedule in a clear way allows both the agency and the client to make edits, plan ahead, and ensure well-timed posts are posted at the right time, every time.

 

A focused social media stream leads to increased sales

Whether you have a Business-to-Business (B2B) or Business-to-Consumer (B2C) business model, your social media has a significant impact on your sales. Having clear and concise social media content that reflects your business needs can help people interact with you and your products or services. Knowing which platforms to choose, and how to organize your content to best suit your business goals is the expertise you gain when working with an agency.

 

Tracking engagement that matches your KPIs

We meticulously measure social media metrics over time (weeks to months). Using a variety of tools we can:

  • Track website visitors, how they got to the website from your social media platforms, and their behaviour on the site over time using Google Analytics and Google tag manager. We use this data to see what works best on your social platforms and what needs improvement.
  • Tracking the sales generated from social leads on your Facebook business page and seeing which products people gravitate to the most. We can use this information to increase the promotion of those products.
  • Track paid ads using Facebook Pixel to see where people are engaging the most or adopting a target audience for your product or services based on the metrics seen over time.
  • Use social analytics and performance tools like Sprout Social and BuzzSumo to help expand your marketing horizons.

 

WHAT TO DO BEFORE HIRING A MARKETING AGENCY:

Collaboration requires multiples. Your agency can tackle content, branding, KPI monitoring, and create a great copy but they need you! Your voice is the foundation of your business, and our goal is to reflect and amplify that voice. Some ways you can help your agency is to

 

Reflect on your current branding, business goals, and products.

Having a self-reflective view of your business will help us to build a clear picture of your needs, making it more efficient to onboard you and allowing us to create more immediate results.

 

Find other businesses that speak to your same goals and aesthetic.

Inspiration is the key to success––and so is competitor analysis. What inspires you about other businesses? What design styles catch your eye and speak to your own products or services? What are similar businesses doing well? Knowing about other businesses that are similar to you and understanding what they do well can also help you focus your energy on developing a stand-out brand strategy with your agency. A lot of time gets lost sending emails back and forth trying to establish your brand identity. Having a clear picture of branding you love, the brands that you are competing with, and an open mind about developing branding that is effective will simplify this process––allowing us to spend more time boosting your engagement.

 

Identify where your weaknesses are.

Being able to identify potential weaknesses in your current marketing demonstrates self-reflection, and is a recipe for success. Being able to work with your agency on specific areas of your social marketing can increase the return on your investment. Being open to your agency also identifying potential weaknesses can help guide your social streams to increased engagement.

 

Get to know your audience.

Working with an agency can give you increased insight into your audience and how to use the reporting metrics built in to many social platforms to increase your engagement. It is good to have an idea of who your audience is, or who you want them to be before meeting with your agency. Different audiences require different social strategies, and your agency can use your insight to create a strategy that will benefit your business the most.

 

WHAT TO DO BEFORE HIRING A MARKETING AGENCY:

When you work with an agency, you can expect that there are some things that an in-house team could accomplish that an agency cannot. This is why a collaborative model is so important.

 

What does the business owner contribute to a successful social presence?

  • The owner provides feedback to the agency at numerous points in the working relationship. From onboarding to continued check-ins and approval of content.
  • You are the expert in your business! That’s why it is so important for you to answer questions, engage in your community, and follow people that inspire you.
  • Be social! Posting content that only you can provide is a great way to show off your space, your process, and your unique staff. Stories and reels are a great way to show your followers who you are––and boost your engagement at the same time!

 

What does your agency contribute to your social media streams?

    • On-brand and professional photo, video, and graphic design that reflects your business.
    • Research, analyze, and monitor each of your social streams.
    • Providing expert feedback and strategy that reflects your KPIs.
    • Well-crafted copywriting that reflects your brand voice.
    • Multi-platform integration and maintenance, from Instagram, Facebook, Linked-in, Twitter, Mailchimp, and more.
    • Competitor analysis gives you an edge by filling content gaps, tracks Google performance, and monitors your outcomes.

    WORKING WITH AN AGENCY WILL STRUCTURE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA APPROACH, AND LEAD TO BETTER RESULTS.

    An agency can give you the edge you need to make your social media shine. Working together to fulfill your KPIs, monitor your audience, and interact with your clients and community is the best way to gain meaningful traction––regardless of the platform.

    If you’ve been waiting to work with us, why not take the leap? We want to grow with you. If you want to learn more about having a multi-talented team working towards your goals with you, drop us a line. We bring the collective knowledge and expertise of a full-service marketing team for the fraction of the cost of in-house employees. We are outside-the-box thinkers with an experienced and creative approach to your digital presence.


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