Best Social Media Marketing Agencies in Saint Paul

Social media marketing is the promotion of brands, products, and services that takes place on social media platforms. Social media marketing may be done through organic posts—these are the unpaid posts and content that brands make on various social platforms, just as individuals post on social platforms. It also includes paid and sponsored posts on social media sites, such as boosted Facebook posts and Instagram ads.

One of the major ways social media is important is because it lets businesses access and engage with consumers where those consumers spend a great deal of their time. In fact, an average user spends two hours and 24 minutes per day on social media, and by 2021, an estimated three billion people will be on social media globally. With this incredible reach, it’s no wonder that businesses are eager to promote on social platforms. Benefits of social media marketing can include:

• A low-cost way to engage organically with target audiences
• Potential for expanded reach of a brand message if people like, share, or comment on posts
• Ability to leverage consumer-generated content to get more exposure
• Easily segregate marketing by demographics on various platforms
• Extra authority for a brand online

It depends on the advertising company’s audience, brand message, and style. Some ways businesses market themselves on social media include, but aren't limited to:

• Sharing helpful, funny, or thought-provoking content relevant to the brand that people are likely to share
• Sharing content from others to help create an authority page people return to often
• Asking questions and hosting polls to spark user engagement
• Hosting contests and giveaways to drive consumer interest and promote sharing
• Linking from social posts back to websites and other brand content

Facebook is the most-used social media platform in the world. As of 2020, it had more than 2.6 billion active users. In the U.S., more than 75% of active Facebook users log in daily. Behind Facebook, the next most-used social media platforms globally are YouTube and WhatsApp. In the United States, Instagram and Twitter come after Facebook and YouTube.

A social media campaign is an organized effort to get a message to consumers about a specific brand, product, or promotion. Campaign components can include a strategy or plan, assets, such as text and image content, a publishing schedule, and follow up. The campaign typically links to other marketing assets, such as a website landing page.

A social media strategy keeps a brand on target as it works through various campaigns. Steps to creating a strategy typically include:

• Identifying the audience and which social platforms are best for connecting with those consumers
• Defining the goals, including what action the business wants consumers to take
• Brainstorming and creating various content
• Scheduling content for appropriate posting times—brands may need to test days and times to see which ones support the highest engagement and conversion rates
• Following through with the social media posting calendar

Typically, brands start with overall categories and topics. They decide how many posts need to be posted per day or week and divide those up among the categories. Specific posts are created to match those needs and are scheduled in social media publishing tools, such as Hootsuite, to automate much of the process.

Social media marketing can provide a benefit for small businesses because it offers a way to connect with consumers that isn't limited by business type or size. In fact, a smaller business can often create a personal connection with social users that isn't possible with corporate entities. Other benefits can include:

• Ability to reach new consumers as other people share content
• Possibility of finding loyal customers who act as brand ambassadors to boost the reach of the company's social media message
• Establishing the business as a community or thought leader in the space
• Increasing leads and website traffic even if SEO or other efforts aren't yet performing

As of 2019, more than 90% of businesses in the United States were using social media for marketing purposes. Around 73% of small businesses spent money on social media marketing, and as many as 77% use social media to support key functions, such as customer service and sales.

Companies promote products on social media in various ways, including:

• Contests: Companies host writing or photo contests featuring their products or giveaways that encourage people to share information about their brand.
• Deals and promo codes: Businesses often post information about deals on their social platforms, encouraging people to share the savings with others.
• Promotion to communities: Companies might promote custom products to certain communities, either via hashtags, or in exclusive groups for more targeted marketing.
• Influencer collaborations: Brands may provide discounts, free products, or payment to influencers to talk about their products.
• Direct sales: Some companies sell directly on social through carousel ads or marketplace posts.

Brands that have the resources can hire in-house social media marketing professionals. They can also work with individual freelancers to handle specific components of social media marketing, such as writing posts or creating visual designs. For the most comprehensive experience, and the most extensive specialization in individual social media platforms and marketing options, a social media marketing agency is the best choice, and can handle most or even all of a company’s social media marketing.