5 Social Media Lessons Learned From 2013
As the year 2014 gains momentum, many of us are thinking critically about how to make effective use of social media to exchange ideas or do business.
Although there are a variety of techniques we can implement to improve upon our former strategies, it is oftentimes advantageous to consider lessons we’ve learned from the past in order to be more effective in the future.
With that thought in mind, let’s take a look at some great social media lessons we learned in 2013:
1. Visual Media Is Key
In the past, many marketing specialists and business owners have focused on advertising strategies such as SEO to ensure that their websites attained prominent ranking in the results pages of the search engines.
While this type of strategy is effective and important, 2013 brought with it the knowledge that using visual forms of media is integral to expanding one’s online presence.
In recognizing the fact that more than 1 billion unique visitors go on YouTube each month, many business owners began picking up on the fact that advertising their goods and services through the creation of a catchy video was-and still is-a great idea.
2. Becoming A Thought Expert Helps Your Social Media Campaign
Although anybody can say anything and be listened to, the majority of people are more willing to entertain the ideas of an expert.
With this reality in mind, many business owners spent time researching their field and sharing their learned expertise with the public in order to make their voices authoritative on channels like Twitter and Facebook.
This strategy proved incredibly effective for many people in 2013, and it will likely remain integral to the way business owners communicate with prospective clients this year, too.
3. Security Is Important
Although social media can be an entertaining or financially profitable medium to use, 2013 taught us that it is not always safe.
In referencing this fact, www.securitychoice.net provides some excellent advice regarding how to use social media channels securely. In addition to informing us that we should use secure passwords, Security Choice also advocated adjusting privacy settings to the highest setting and never discussing vacation and travel plans via social media.
4. Content Is Still King
In a world where social media innovation seems to be at an all-time high, many business owners are implementing a plethora of unique strategies to help build their online audiences and increase conversion rates.
Unfortunately, many of these business owners have neglected the importance of consistently developing and publishing high-quality content. Yet 2013 showed us that doing so is still very, very important.
Without interesting, informative content to catch and keep the attention of one’s audience, you will likely lose business to competitors who are willing to go the extra mile to reel the customers in with witty catchphrases, simple wording, and grammatically flawless content that can be easily scanned and digested.
5. It’s Not All About Social Media
Although social media experts have done a great job telling us that channels like Twitter and Facebook have become an increasingly integral aspect of daily life, business owners who want to use these channels effectively must note that simply running free contests or tweeting links to product pages through these mediums is not enough.
In addition to making use of social media, business owners need to focus on marketing strategies such as branding and blending online and offline advertising techniques in order to obtain and maintain profound success.
In recognizing that social media must work as a synergistic element of a broader marketing campaign, business owners can ensure that they attain the continual growth and expansion they desire.
My Opinion
In this contemporary era, more and more people are recognizing that social media is here to stay. In realizing that these mediums will remain an integral aspect of our lives, it is important that we master the art of using them effectively.
By reflecting on the social media lessons we learned from 2013, we can accomplish just that.
What About You?
What were the most important social media lessons for you in 2013? What do you expect for 2014?
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About the Author
Stacey Waxman is a freelance writer with a focus on marketing. She can be found typing away on her laptop in cold Cleveland, OH.