BMT4210 Online Sales and Practices
│LECTURE 8│
e-Marketing Strategy: Social Medial and Mobile Marketing
Lesson Intended Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the lesson, you are expected to be able to:
l Attract business with social media marketing
l Use mobile marketing to trigger buying
1. Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is a form of internet marketing that involves creating and sharing
content on social media networks in order to achieve a company’s marketing and branding
goals. Social media marketing includes activities like posting text and image updates, videos,
and other content that drives audience engagement, as well as paid social media advertising.
As an e-tailer with a local store, social media offers another way for the e-tailer to target and
influence buyers based on specific information, such as interests, keywords, and location.
Most important, social medial advertising is incredibly affordable, and usually much more
cost-effective than Google AdWords. Facebook and Twitter are perhaps the easier ways to get
started with social medial ads.
1.1 Purpose
Social media marketing can help with a number of goals, such as:
- Increasing website traffic
- Building conversions
- Raising brand awareness
- Creating a brand identity and positive brand association
- Improving communication and interaction with key audiences
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1.2 Best Social Media Marketing Tips
1.2.1 Social Media Content Planning
Building a social media marketing plan is essential. Consider keyword research and
competitive research to help brainstorm content ideas that will interest the target
audience.
1.2.2 Great Social Content
Make sure to post regularly and offer truly valuable information that ideal customers will
find helpful and interesting. The content to be shared can include images, videos,
infographics, how-to guides and more.
1.2.3 A Consistent Brand Image
Using social media for marketing enables a company to project its brand image across a
variety of different social media platforms. While each platform has its own unique
environment and voice, the company’s core identity, whether it's friendly, fun, or
trustworthy, should stay consistent.
1.2.4 Social Media for Content Promotion
Social media marketing is a perfect channel for sharing a company’s website and blog
content with readers. Once it builds a loyal following on social media, it'll be able to post
all new content and make sure its readers can find new stuff right away. Moreover, great
blog content will help it build more followers.
1.2.5 Sharing Links
It is common practice to use social media marketing to link to outside sources that
provide great, valuable information to target audience. Linking to outside sources
improves trust and reliability, and you may even get some links in return.
1.2.6 Tracking Competitors
Competitors can provide valuable data for keyword research and other social media
marketing insight. If competitors are using a certain social media marketing channel or
technique that seems to be working for them, considering doing the same thing, but do it
better!
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1.2.7 Measuring Success with Analytics
Google Analytics can be used as a great social media marketing tool that will help a
company measures its most successful social media marketing techniques. Attach
tracking tags to a company’s social media marketing campaigns so that it can properly
monitor them.
1.3 Social Media Platforms
1.3.1 Facebook
Start by creating a Facebook Business Fan Page. Pay careful attention to layout, as the
visual component is a key aspect of the Facebook experience.
Facebook is a place people go to relax and chat with friends, so keep the tone light and
friendly. And remember, organic reach on Facebook can be extremely limited, so
consider a cost-effective Facebook ad strategy, which can have a big impact on an
organic Facebook presence as well!
1.3.2 YouTube
YouTube is the number one place for creating and sharing video content. Many
businesses try to create video content with the aim of having their video “go viral,” but it
may not succeed. Instead, they may try to create useful, instructive “how-to” videos.
These how-to videos have the added benefit of ranking on the video search results of
Google.
1.3.3 Twitter
By following tweets in its industry or related fields, a company should gain a steady
stream of followers in return.
Mix up an official tweet about specials, discounts, and news with fun, brand-building
tweets. Be sure to retweet when a customer has something nice to say about the company,
and don’t forget to answer people’s questions when possible. Using Twitter as a social
media marketing tool revolves around dialog and communication, so be sure to interact
as much as possible to nurture and build following.
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1.3.4 LinkedIn
LinkedIn Groups is a great venue for entering into a professional dialog with people in
similar industries and provides a place to share content with like-minded individuals.
It's also great for posting jobs and general employee networking.
Encourage customers or clients to give a recommendation on a company’s LinkedIn
profile. Recommendations makes the company appear more credible and reliable for new
customers. Also browse the Questions section of LinkedIn and provide answers. It helps
the company get established as a thoughtful leader and earns trust.
1.4 Social-Media Trends
1.4.1 Rise of Augmented Reality
While augmented reality will have its initial impact on mobile gaming, it is likely that
social media platforms will find ways to incorporate the new technology as well.
For example, Snapchat or Instagram will soon support filters that allow users to take a
selfie with a friend or celebrity projected via augmented reality. Similarly, brands could
soon project their products into the homes of social media users through special filters.
1.4.2 Increasing Popularity of Instagram Stories
The new Instagram Stories is getting popular since its launch. This means that brands
interested in connecting with Instagram users must take the time to master Instagram
Stories.
1.4.3 Continued Investment in Influencer Marketing
Over 90 percent of marketers who employ an influencer marketing strategy believe it is
successful. Companies like North Face, Hubspot and Rolex use social media–based
influencer marketing strategies to connect with new audiences and improve engagement
with existing audiences.
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1.4.4 Focus on Generation Z
Today, the oldest Gen Zers are 22 years old. They are just beginning to enter the labor
force and will have increased buying power for some time. Greater investment in
platforms loved by Gen Zers such as Snapchat and Instagram is expected.
1.4.5 Increasing Brand Participation in Messaging Platforms
In the coming years, brands are expected to invest more time and money in connecting
with consumers on messaging platforms. Artificial intelligence, voice assistants and
chatbots will enable brands to offer personalized shopping experiences on messaging
platforms like Messenger, WhatsApp and Kik.
1.4.6 Expansion of Live Streaming
Today, big and small brands have started using live streaming to capture the attention of
followers.
1.4.7 Facebook Spaces Goes Mainstream
Facebook isn’t just interested in live video streaming; they’ve been working on a project
called Spaces that is designed to allow friends to connect in VR. Facebook is poised to
scale Spaces in 2018. When they do, it is likely that it will be the first successful VR
social media product at scale.
2. Mobile Marketing
Mobile marketing is multi-channel online marketing technique focused at reaching a specific
audience on their smart phone, tablets, or any other related devices through websites, e-mail,
SMS, social media or mobile applications. Mobile marketing can provide customers with time
and location sensitive, personalized information that promotes goods, services and ideas.
2.1 The Growth of m-Commerce
The growth of m-commerce has exceeded expectations. M-Commerce accounts for one-third
of online-only ecommerce sales and nearly 3% of in-store retail sales. While shopping from
tablets is still accountable for most m-commerce sales, the most growth is coming from
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smartphones.
Consumers shopping locally or in-store are quite often using their mobile phones for the
following activities:
- View e-mails for promotions from online retailers
- Get information about retailers (such as business hours, contact information, etc.)
- Research products and compare prices
- Receive texts with codes for special offers
- Redeem coupon codes
Retailers can use mobile marketing to deliver special offer and coupons helps drive revenue
for their businesses.
2.2 Types of Mobile Marketing Strategies
There is a variety of mobile marketing strategies, the kind that works best for your business
will depend on your industry, target audience, and budget.
2.2.1 SMS alerts
Companies using SMS (Short Message Service) to send short text messages to their
customers’ smartphones. E.g., Redbox, the video vending-machine company, sends daily
or weekly messages about new video releases, movie trivia, and more to subscribers who
have chosen to receive text alerts. The goal is to drive subscribers to the Redbox website,
to keep them actively engaged, and to entice customers to go to a vending machine and
check out a movie.
SMS works especially well for the following tasks:
- Sending reminders about an event, a product, or a service
- Creating immediate awareness
- Sending maintenance notices or appointment reminders for services
- Providing notice that products are available for in-store pickup
- Hosting a contest, or sending information related to contests
- Sending special offers
Customers must opt-in, or choose, to receive text alerts. Do not send unsolicited texts.
Encourage customers to opt-in to receive text alerts by offering a special incentive or
one-time perk, such as a discount off the next purchase.
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2.2.2 Mobile coupons
Some customers may still be reluctant to make a purchase by using a smartphone, but a
company can still reach out to them by sending them mobile coupons (m-coupons) by
smartphone. Customers can then go online or to a physical location, provide the coupon
code, and make a purchase.
The benefits of using mobile coupons:
- Generate better engagement and response rates with customers
- Increase customer loyalty
- Cost less than traditional advertising
- Reach customers when they are near your location
- Be easier to administer than other advertising
2.2.3 QR Codes
QR codes allow the customer to use a smartphone to snap a picture of the image and
reveal something of interest – from a coupon code to a how-to manual. QR codes offer a
way to quickly access additional product information, so they can be used to boost
mobile browsing and encourage more buying.
2.2.4 Check-in specials
Retailers can offer coupons or other specials to customers who use social media (such as
Facebook) to check in, or publicly announce that they are on-site at your location. The
customer should be able to redeem a company’s offer on the spot. It encourages existing
customers to let their friends and followers know that they are at its location – think of it
as nearly-free advertising.
2.2.5 App-based marketing
This is mobile advertising involving mobile apps. While 80% of mobile time is spent
engaged with apps, a company doesn’t have to create an app yourself to get in on the
action. Most services like Google AdMob help advertisers create mobile ads that appear
within third-party mobile apps.
Facebook also allows advertisers to create ads that are integrated into Facebook’s mobile
app. Facebook’s mobile Promoted Post ads integrate so seamlessly with Facebook’s
news feed that users often don’t realize they’re looking at ads.
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2.2.6 In-game mobile marketing
In-game mobile marketing refers to mobile ads that appear within mobile games, like in
the example below. In-game ads can appear as banner pop-ups, full-page image ads or
even video ads that appear between loading screens.
Example of an in-game mobile marketing ad
2.2.7 Location-based marketing
Location-based mobile ads are ads that appear on mobile devices based upon a user’s
location relative to a specific area or business. For example, some advertisers may only
want their mobile ads to appear when users are within a 1-mile radius of their business.
2.3 Privacy Concerns
l Mobile advertising has become more and more popular.
l However, some mobile advertising is sent without a required permission from the
consumer causing privacy violations.
l It should be understood that irrespective of how well advertising messages are designed
and how many additional possibilities they provide, if consumers do not have confidence
that their privacy will be protected, this will hinder their widespread deployment.
l But if the messages originate from a source where the user is enrolled in a
relationship/loyalty program, privacy is not considered violated and even interruptions
can generate goodwill.
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References
Belew, S. & Elad, J. (2017). Starting an Online Business All-in-One for Dummies. John Wiley
& Sons.
What Is Mobile Marketing & Why Does it Matter So Much?
[Link]
Social Media Marketing for Businesses
[Link]
10 Social-Media Trends to Prepare for in 2018
[Link]
