Social media marketing strategies

Social Media Marketing StrategiesApril 2013

Social Media: The Missing Piece

Thus far, CW Taylor Marketing has focused on SEO, content, and to an extent, email. The next and crucial step is Social Media…

SEO Email

Content

Social Media

Why Social Media?1. Go beyond basic searching and information listings to increase visibility.

2. Create a unique brand different from competitors.

3. Build a community around your brand. Interact with customers demonstrates that you will go the extra mile for them.

4. Create value for customers beyond

simply fixing their cars.5. Putting a human face on an otherwise

dreaded process- getting your car fixed.

Two pronged approach

● Make the client feel like he is getting social media exposure through likes, retweets, comments and followers. Build a brand with a loyal community.

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● Provide real, tangible ROI through new customers (Groupon-like offers) and retention of existing clientele (email and location-based offers).

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First Approach

Recommended social media presences:

Twitter, Vine

Google+, YouTube

Facebook, Instagram

LinkedIn

Pinterest

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First Approach

● Twitter basics:

•Be sure to instruct the contact person who will be tweeting in the basic features of Twitter:

Retweets

140 Characters

Direct Messages

@Replies

#Hashtags

Bit.ly links

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Favoriting

First Approach

● Twitter hashtag specifics:

•Make auto shop discoverable and trending through popular and appropriate hashtags (although no longer necessary)

•For example, “Bob’s Auto Shop” in Newton, MA could compose a tweet such as:

The entire staff of Bob’s Auto Shop stands with the people of Boston. #bobsautoshop #bostonstrong

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First Approach

● Twitter hashtag specifics:

•Use hashtag of business with trending hashtag found at Hashtags.org, What the Trend,

Twazzup, Trendsmap, etc.

•Follow proper etiquette: Avoid using more than two hashtags. This will avoid tweets being

perceived as spam by followers.

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First Approach

● Twitter: Use for customer interaction

•Once a Twitter presence is created, it must be maintained. Be aware of complaints or comments directed at the business and politely address

them promptly with an @reply and/or direct message.

•Tweet deals and coupons (mirror the information sent via email and Google+. More in Part II)

•Notify of blog updates and include a link.

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First Approach

● Twitter: Build a brand through content curation

•Be consistent, shareworthy, and relevant.

•Tweet about events at the shop and new equipment purchases.

•Remind customers of services offered, and how they are different and superior to the competition.

•Be proactive in the community. RT info about events like sports, fundraisers, charities, and other (non-

competing) businesses.

•Be timely. Twitter lives almost exclusively in the moment.

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First Approach

● Twitter: Create a following

•Put the Twitter sticker on the door.

•Determine who your audience is. If the shop specializes in a certain car, body work, engine rebuilds, etc.

•In the email newsletter, urge customers to follow on Twitter. Promise news, deals, etc.

•Stay local, but occasionally reach national in scope. For example, during the Superbowl or March Madness one

could tweet about the game.

•Use a service like Fiverr or one of the many clones to build a follower base.

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First Approach

● Twitter: Grow the number of followers

•Share, share, share. RT other people’s stuff.

•Be pithy and interesting. Share expertise. Convey trustworthiness and authority on the subject.

•Follow local businesses and ask them to do the same. Follow relevant car-related twitter accounts.

•Cater to a wide variety of interests, from car geeks to those who don’t care about cars.

•Post at least once or twice every two weeks.

•Track growth via analytics tool like Followerwonk or equivalent.

•Old but good collection of blogs re: Twitter: www.copyblogger.com/ultimate-twitter

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http://www.copyblogger.com/

http://www.copyblogger.com/

First Approach

● Twitter & Vine

•Twitter acquired Vine in October 2012.

•As of April 9, 2013, Vine is the number one free app on the iOS App Store.

•Vine posts six second video clips directly to Twitter and Facebook with other options to come.

•Easy to use and very popular at the moment.

•Upload humorous clips, quick tips, or trending memes.

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First Approach

● Google+: Much that was said of Twitter marketing applies to Google+. Note these major feature differences:

1. Not limited to 140 character limit

2. Use of Circles for those you follow

3. Powerful searching tools

4. Local

5. Communities

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First Approach

● Google+: How to use for marketing

•Choose images wisely. Google+ is a very visual experience. Add photos to an album.

•Make sure page is open to search.

•Use circles wisely to make new connections.

•Link to company website and blog.

•Review other businesses. Your business will appear on their page and they might return the favor, too.

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First Approach


•Although hashtags are used, they are not quite as numerous as in Twitter. Another difference is the

content of hashtags- on Google+, businesses and products are extremely popular topics.

•Post information that makes you sound like an expert on the topic. This will lead to +1s and

more followers.

•Link to interesting posts. Show your passion and knowledge for any given topic.

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First Approach


•Unlike the microblogging of the Twitterverse, Google+ is more of a miniblog. Perhaps excerpt portions of the blog updates to save work.

•Google+ is the best tool for conversations. Ask questions to provoke responses like, “Which was the best BMW of all time?” People are sure to

respond.

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First Approach

● Google+: Advanced Tactics

•Google+ Events: Schedule a party to celebrate the shop’s 10th anniversary and invite customers.

•Use Google+ Events to schedule a Google+ Hangout where the head mechanic answers questions about some aspect of fixing cars.

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First Approach

● YouTube: Basic Approaches

•Think of YouTube as a secondary means of marketing. Embed videos in Twitter, Google+, and Facebook posts to add content to your social media

presence and increase followers.

•The primary gain in producing such content is brand awareness. Viewers will view your brand in a

more positive light, increase brand recall, perceived legitimacy and overall reputation.

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First Approach

● YouTube: Suggested Content1. Provide 1 minute tips on keeping your car in shape.

Free advice demonstrates skill and provides value for viewers.

2. Create 1 minute how-tos on cars outside of what the shop fixes.

3. Ads. Creating a paid advertisement will spread brand recognition.

4. Creative videos produced by the shop employees referencing viral clips, trends, workplace events, or workplace tours. Introduce each employee and show him at work.

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First Approach

● YouTube: Three ways to refer traffic back to website

1. Include a link in the description, just as a naked URL with no anchor text.

2. Set up the content for advertising and get an Ad overlay link.

3. Get approved YouTube partner status (by allowing preroll ads form other companies on your videos) and then include links back to your site within your annotation.

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First Approach

● YouTube: Analytics

•Video views are basically equivalent to “hits” on a website and are not indicative of whether someone actually watched the clip.

•Instead, use YouTube analytics to obtain a “Relative audience retention” report. The YouTube

“estimated minutes watched” report and "average view duration" figures are much more useful

indicators of overall success.

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First Approach

● Facebook: Brief remarks

•Define the goal for creating a business Facebook page.

•Are you going for brand awareness or for more customer interaction? If the business is located in Peoria and someone from Indonesia likes your

photo, are you really increasing sales?

•Use Facebook primarily to create a sense of community with customers, building trust and legitimacy.

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First Approach

● Facebook: What to post

•Announce promotions and other events well in advance as well as when they are occurring.

•Actively seek customer comments regarding recent car work and respond promptly. This interaction will increase Edgerank.

•Provide a full experience of welcoming content, introducing the staff and providing an overview of the business and what services are performed.

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First Approach

● Facebook: How to get more likes and followers

•Like local businesses and charities. Like the restaurants that the workers frequent.

•Get friends and family of the workers to like and post on the company’s page.

•Offer Facebook-only promotions to get them into the shop. Host contests through sites like Shortstack and Pagemodo, free for pages with under 2000 likes.

•Get friends and family to jumpstart comments.

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First Approach

● Facebook: Advertising

•Marketplace ads. Simple to set up and relatively inexpensive.

•Promoted posts

•Premium ads. Sponsored stories, video ads, polls, custom audiences based on email list.

•FBX or Facebook Exchange. New ad network based on “retargeting” ads to those who clicked on

your page.

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First Approach

● Instagram: Some ideas

•Instrgram is a more intimate site and lends itself to behind-the-scenes images, reflecting one’s

personality.

•Be artistic. Use filters on cars and items around the shop to make them appear interesting.

•Get involved with the community. Take pictures of the local environment, buildings, parades,

street festivals, etc.

•Be sure to include hashtags to make images searchable and to increase viewership.

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First Approach

● Instagram: Some ideas

•Have Instagram-only promo codes or contests where customers can upload their own car

related photos.

•Give the company phone to a waiting customer and tell them to find something interesting to

photograph. Upload with a statement that a customer took this picture in order to demonstrate interaction.

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First Approach

● LinkedIn: B2B presence

•I don’t see auto shops interacting with customers much nor do I see most people searching for oil changes on LinkedIn.

•However, it is crucial to have a 100% complete profile and up-to-date company information for secondary searching and validation.

•Connect with local businesses for brand awareness.

•Connect with parts suppliers and automotive companies.

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First Approach

● LinkedIn: Networking

•Use a LinkedIn profile for basic networking among similar companies.

•Consider purchasing upgrades like an overview tab, a products and services tab, analytics tab,

and a career page for job listings.

•Create pages for each of your employees to add trustworthiness.

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First Approach

● Pinterest: Women??

•I personally don’t use Pinterest much, but it has its benefits.

•Keep in mind that at least 70% or more of the user base is female, about the opposite of Google+.

•There is a new business center: business.pinterest.com. Not too much yet specific to companies, but sure to improve and grow in features over time.

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First Approach

● Pinterest: Strategies

•Content curation is key. Only upload the best and most interesting photos. Generally follow the Instagram model

but cater to the demographic.

•Repinning images, like RTs, is a must. Comment on posts.

•Fill out profile and connect Facebook and Twitter accounts.

•Pin videos to stand out amongst the still pictures.

•Use Pinterest to tell customer stories.

•See copyblogger.com/pinterest-marketing for more ideas.

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First Approach

In short: 1. Follow the right people

2. Share valuable stuff

3. Participate and engage

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Second Approach

1. Groupon (or equivalent) Offers

2. Check-in, email & follower promotions

2Increased Customer Base

$for$$

xx%off

New customers

Retention

Second Approach2Groupon-type Deal

Pros: 1. Free Marketing. Even if no one buys the deal, it is included in the email.

2. Businesses get the email of the Groupon purchaser, allowing for future marketing

messages.

3. Free help from Groupon to aid in crafting the promotion. Only pay if minimum sales are met.

4. Track efficacy through own point-of-sale system and Groupon’s Merchant Center.


Cons: 1. Groupon takes 50% cut on deal. So if a shop offers $20 for $40 of service, Groupon takes

$10.

2. A study from Rice University said that 80% are first time buyers and only 20% ever return.

3. Only 36% buy beyond the value of the Groupon.

4. Of the repeat customers, only 2% have never visited the store before getting the Groupon.


•If a shop wants to create a Groupon deal, be sure to follow up with a plan to retain those

new customers.

•Groupon has a built-in rewards system designed to promote repeat visitors.

•Have a way to upsell and cross-sell. Combine promotions.

•Give Groupon users a premium experience to increase likelihood of them coming back.

Second Approach2Promotional Deal

•A promotional deal is one that is not prepaid, but is valid for a fixed amount or percentage

off the cost of a service provided.

•The first method of transmitting such promotions is a traditional email blast, which a

customer must then print out and bring with them.

•An update to this procedure is sending the promotion by Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.


•The traditional method can be improved upon greatly by utilizing a check-in service like Yelp, Facebook, or most popularly, Foursquare.

•The promotion is listed when one searches for the business on these sites, potentially bringing in new customers.

•Customer retention is achieved through the check-in process, which becomes a social

game where one can earn badges, mayorship, etc.


•There are several types of Foursquare specials, and promotional deals with credit cards:

sproutsocial.com/insights/2011/06/how-to-foursquare-specials

sproutsocial.com/insights/2013/02/foursquare- visa-mastercard/

•Promote check-in deals via other social media sites for maximum exposure.


•Check-ins are also free advertising even when there are no deals to be had, since the action may appear on the user’s Facebook or Twitter feed.

Objectives

1. To foster a sense of trust, expertise and community with the customer.

2. To network with other local businesses.3. To promote brand awareness.4. To acquire new customers.5. To retain and value those new customers.

Technology

Social media marketing strategies