When it comes to social media marketing, trends are always changing. What works one day, may be completely obsolete the next with a simple update from Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. However, no matter how many updates there are, the ultimate goal for social media marketers remains the same: Increase brand awareness through social media engagement. Engagement measures the total likes, shares and comments a post will receive, providing a measurable metric for marketing strategies. As platforms change, so do the strategies marketers use to get the most out of them.

When sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram first allowed businesses to play in their social media sandbox, most marketers adopted a “shotgun” approach to developing social media strategies. With this approach, they would crank out an excessive amount of content to ensure that they were visible to their fans amidst all of the social media clutter that appeared on most people’s pages. However, Facebook users voiced their aversion to the amount of ads and posts from brands on their news feeds. Facebook responded by adjusting their algorithms to prioritize content from a user’s friends and family over any brand posts or advertisements. With this change, a brand would only reach 1-4% of its followers, no matter how many times they posted.

Sponsored social media advertising not only offers a way to break through to fans who wouldn’t otherwise see your content, it is also optimized to reach potential new followers, further expanding your reach. Facebook and Twitter offer several ways to do this, one of which is through advanced targeting. Want to reach people who may be interested in your happy hour specials? Target people who may be fans of bars or restaurants in a specific area. Want to attract more tourists? Target those who are flying to your city, or have checked in to a nearby airport or hotel. Between selecting demographics, behaviors, locations and interests, a brand is able to get the most out of social media marketing by targeting consumers who are more inclined to support their business.

At Alternative Strategies, we strongly recommend that our clients adopt a social media advertising plan and budget. As more and more companies increase their internet marketing efforts, competition to stand out in the marketplace is as stiff as ever. Gone are the days when a brand could reach its audience simply by spamming the social media sphere with an excessive amount of posts. In order to get the best bang for your buck when it comes to online marketing efforts, intelligent strategies are crucial.

Learn more about how you can get your business seen by more people on social media by emailing us at info@altstrategies.com today!