The Big Picture

Are you using Social Media to market your business? If you are, that’s great! Let me ask this next question, are you looking at the big picture or just in the moment?

What you need to do is look at Social Media as the party in your online marketing strategy. You know where you meet new people and begin to build a relationship with each other. Studies, research and polls have found that trying to constantly sell your products and/or service on the social media platforms is a waste of time for your business. You need a virtual home or brochure (your website or blog) to invite people to.

Why?

People want to find out more about who you are and what you have to offer. If your website is outdated, poorly designed, or even worse…you don’t have one – then you have lost a large portion of your creditability.

Consider Social Media to be a plug-in for your business website. A content rich and professional looking website along with your Social Media efforts will raise your ROI if executed properly. If you don’t treat you’re online marketing as a viable business investment, using the tools correctly then why even do it?

Online marketing is much more than just Social Media Networking. There are many pieces to the puzzle that make online marketing effective.

Here is a list of the main pieces which make up a solid online marketing strategy:

A content rich and professional looking website.
This is the foundation for your online marketing plan. It is the living brochure of your business, constantly changing and evolving. This is where you sell your products and/or services.
A blog that matches the branding of your website.
Your blog should be used to tell your story. Stories about you, your products and services. These stories should be shared with your contacts and the relationships you’re building on the social media platforms.
Search Engine Optimization for your website and blog.
This is so you can be found in a search from Google, Yahoo and Bing, etc.
An email marketing plan.
An email marketing plan is used to stay in touch with your clients and all the relationships you make through social media, keeping your name in the front of their minds.
Measuring Matrix
Tools to measure the effective of your online marketing efforts. These tools can tell you what is working and not working with your marketing strategy.
Social Media Networking Platforms
Consider your social media networking as a plug-in or addition to your blog and website. They will tie everything together… creating leads and sales.
Patience.
You will need plenty of this because it takes time to build a good effective online marketing program that you can build upon.