Despite the numerous benefits that businesses can get from social media marketing, such as increased referrals, low-cost lead generation and valuable feedback, social media agency Punch is warning companies not to jump onto the bandwagon without first considering which social media platform is right for them.
Rather than joining Twitter or Facebook for the simple reason that everyone else is, Punch recommends that companies first discover exactly where their target customers congregate online, and then develop a strategy for communicating with them through utilising social media.
To emphasize the fact that there is more to social media than Facebook and Twitter, the Social Media Agency has highlighted three other social media platforms that might help companies to achieve their goals more effectively:
B2B Networks -- popular B2B social networking sites like LinkedIn and Ecademy might prove to be far more effective than Twitter or Facebook for some companies. Such sites offer a more business-focused style of networking, allowing a user to make useful connections with key players in their industry and focus on developing relationships in a more professional environment.
Forums -- by providing a constructive and valuable contribution to forums through offering expert advice and information, a company can quickly boost its reputation online and become a go-to resource whenever potential customers have a query.
Blogging -- one of the best ways to develop a strong online community and build up a brand's reputation as an authority resource is to launch a corporate blog. The good thing about a blog is that it can work perfectly well on its own as well as alongside other social media channels.
Pete Goold, the Managing Director of SEO Agency Punch Communications, highlighted the fact that social media is never a one-size-fits-all solution:
"Whereas some companies choose to focus on one social media platform, others use a number of them together and then integrate them through cross promotion, such as by highlighting their new blog posts in their social networks. The important thing is that companies take the time to work out where they should be focusing their efforts instead of just following the crowd because the ideal solution will vary from company to company."
