Everyday, thousands of people are jumping up on imaginary soapboxes to taut the greatness of their favorite things. They might post their preferred websites on Facebook or tweet the best new songs and videos. They might pin links to delectable recipes or cool new products on Pinterest. Companies, of course, are tapping in to this potential for free advertising by creating their own profiles and sharing links, but not every social media website is created equal. If you’re looking to increase your website’s traffic, you need to use the top social media sites for marketing. Of course these will change as trends come and go, but as of today, these are the best and most popular websites you should be posting on if you want to increase your referral traffic.
When it comes to the top social media sites for marketing, the most important thing to remember is that social media is a fickle thing. Even though MySpace used to be one of the top websites for connecting with friends, today it’s old news. Even though Facebook and Twitter are de rigueur, people will likely flock to some other sites in the years to come. So if you want to employ them effectively for marketing, you need to stay on top of the trends. As of today, these are the sites most worthy of your time.
Top Social Media Sites for Marketing
1. Facebook. Facebook is still the king of social media, especially when it comes to referrals. Over half of referral traffic on social media sites is due to Facebook postings. It works well for almost all companies, and it’s a great way to educate consumers about your company, update them on new products and services, offer promotions, and share industry news. Plus it opens up a line of communication between you and your customers, so if you’re going to use Facebook, be sure to check your timeline often so that you can respond to customers’ comments and concerns in a timely manner. With its incredible popularity, Facebook is undoubtedly one of the top social media sites for marketing.
2. Pinterest. Although Facebook is most popular, Pinterest has a higher average order value. That means that while Facebook and Twitter are more commonly used, Pinterest can garner your website a higher volume of customers. However, this is very dependent on your company’s products, services, and style. Pinterest is not for everyone. Since the site is based on images, it works best for companies with websites/blogs that feature a lot of attractive photos and graphics. So image-based blogs (whether they’re about food, interior design, fashion, etc.), clothing stores, graphic designers, photographers, and makers of memes will find far more success on Pinterest than, say, accountants or lawyers.
3. Twitter. Twitter can be a very effective referral tool, but it’s important that you understand how to use it correctly. Your messages should be quick (140 characters or less) and to the point. Use URLs wherever applicable, employ Twitter handles when needed, and use hashtags (#) for tracking purposes or humor. To make the most of Twitter, be sure to connect to the right people within your industry and create conversations with your customers and industry connections.
4. YouTube. YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world after Google, but like Pinterest, it will not be effective for everyone. However, if your business could make good use of videos, it’s worth a shot. Maybe you’re a makeup artist who wants to shoot how-to videos, a fitness instructor who wants to educate viewers about health, or a musician with music videos. Whatever your profession, if you can make worthwhile videos that are applicable to your business but still entertaining in their own right, this is a great way to promote your product or service.
5. Google+. Although it is similar to Facebook in many ways, Google+ uses a different vocabulary, different tools, and has a very different audience. If you create good social circles (connecting with influencers in your industry) and post content worthy of endorsements, Google+ can be one of your top social media sites for marketing. While it’s not as trend-setting as Twitter or ubiquitous as Facebook, Google+ is still worth your while, especially if you’re looking to improve your SEO.
Of course there are other top social media sites for marketing. LinkedIn is a wonderful way to build and maintain connections with other professionals, and Foursquare can help you promote your business to customers within your vicinity. Depending on the nature of your business, these social media websites might be more worthwhile than Youtube or Pinterest. The most important thing is to know your audience and what they like. From there, you can start deciding which social media websites are worth your time.
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