Marketing is a numbers-driven business activity and so as the digital way of doing it. Social media marketing has become a popular alternative, if not the top marketing platform nowadays.
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Marketing in social media is not just about spending on ads to gain reach, it can also be the other way around. Individuals and businesses alike can earn money through various social media sites while promoting their own brands.
Facebook boasts 2.02 billion active users as of 2018. In the US alone, 79% of Internet users have Facebook. Aside from these statistics, Here are other important data about Facebook users:
Facebook is currently the most important platform for social media marketers and this can be linked to its popularity across all demographics.
There are 50 million businesses using Facebook Pages and since the evolution of this platform from a social media network into a giant advertising media that has an even wider reach than TV, who does not want to place an advertisement there?
Your Facebook page is an extension of your business, and you have to be as credible as a page as you are as a brand.
Your original and relatable content accompanied by eye-catching photos and videos can lead to shares and engagements that can make your post and your page viral.
Curate your posts according to the voice and tone your brand wants to communicate. Video content helped around 90% of online shoppers in their buying decision.
Facebook made a way for video content across Facebook to host ads before or in between. This video monetization initiative boosts the video content uploads on Facebook by 400%.
Whether your intention is to create brand awareness or to generate leads, video content on Facebook is a win-win for those who can produce high-quality content.
The more interesting topics your posts are, the more views you get, and soon enough, your video content might be tapped by these advertisers through Facebook next.
Online shopping through Facebook just became easier with Marketplace. As their tagline goes “Connect your products and services to your local community”, Marketplace offers your products and services to prospective buyers without the need to leave Facebook. All inquiries are also directed to you with the real-time messaging feature.
If you own a Business Page, you can also add customizable tabs like “Shop” and “Message to Buy” that connects buyers to your through your page.
If your page already has an impressive number of Likes, Followers, and Engagements, you can say that you already have a Community.
That community will further translate into the business when you are able to find another business which might find your community useful for their cross-selling efforts.
Just don’t forget to label your promotional post for other brands as “Sponsored” to avoid confusion in your community.
YouTube is obviously a social platform exclusively dedicated to video content. This platform has evolved and it keeps evolving from a library of video content to an advertising tool and as a television alternative.
With over 1.5 billion users, a total of 1 billion hours of YouTube videos are watched every day and 50% of these users access YouTube on mobile.
YouTube as a social media platform offers two earning possibilities. First, as an advertiser. You pay YouTube to have your ad played at the start or in the middle of a video or as a banner on the video.
This exposes your brand to your preferred audience by targeting those who searched for a video related to your brand – directly or indirectly. More views, more business for you.
The second option to earn via YouTube is through your own content with enough views to be considered popular and to be considered as a host of ads or content of advertisers where you will be considered as a paid affiliate.
In YouTube’s own criteria of “popular”, your channel should have at least 4,000 watch hours and 1,000 channel subscribers in the last 12 months.
If you happen to meet these criteria, then you can already apply for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and get a shared revenue split of 44%-55%, between Google and you, respectively.
Instagram is a have-it-all social media platform. Your content can be diversified between photos or videos bundled with a microblog.
If your target markets are the groups of millennial and young professionals, then 90% of Instagram’s 800 million monthly active users can be your market.
It is quite easy to grow your Instagram following when you post frequently and use hashtags. When using Instagram search, it will divert your attention to the photos and videos related to your previous posts and searches. In the latest update, Instagram added categories to make searching content easier.
These categories are labeled as “For You”, “TV & Movies”, “Style”, “Music”, “Travel”, “Food”, “Beauty”, “Sports” and more. Each category also details related hashtags and if you are looking into growing your audience, these popular hashtags will likely put your content on top of these categories.
It is true that it is easier to sell when you see actual photos of products on social media, what more if it is posted in a well-curated manner?
Social media influencers and celebrities with millions of followers have something in common – their Instagram accounts are such eye candies.
They have thematic Instagram posts, following a specific pattern, color, types of filters, and their personal hashtags for every event of their lives.
It works for them as their own brand so it will work for your brand too.
If you are selling clothes, post them according to a specific color scheme in a week leading to lighter hues transitioning to a new color next week and so on.
Use popular hashtags and get ready to be lined up with popular personalities and brands who are using them too. Get creative with your bio and don’t forget to link your website or actual online store.
Likes for likes, mentions for mentions, and paid or sponsored promotions. If you are popular enough with thousands of followers and good engagement with your audience, you might get lucky to be tapped by brands in your same target market to promote their products or services to your audience and get paid for it.
Instagram is an avenue to showcase your eye for beauty, it was its original purpose to start with, a social media platform dedicated to photography.
If you have a talent for photography either on mobile or a DSLR.
Upload your photos with your watermark and start selling your shots to agencies, business accounts or individuals who might find your photos relevant to their business or page.
Make sure to use appropriate hashtags and include a link to your digital portfolio on your bio.
The number of social media followers and interactions will most likely translate to reach and income and knowing your social media demographics can help you devise a strategy to get started with your money-making activities on social media.
Evidently, social media is where your clients are and it is where money is. Aside from the usual selling and marketing activities, letting your business evolve bt taking advantage of the income earning opportunities these social media platforms can offer can also be a lucrative source of income for you and your brand. No business is small if your social media knowledge is big.
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Abdul Aziz Mondol is a professional blogger who is having a colossal interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, he loves to share content related to business, finance, technology, and the gaming niche.
