In the last couple of years, the global world of social media has grown from strength to strength. Nearly everyone in the world has some kind of social media account, whether it is to keep people updated regarding their lives or to keep on top of the updates of others. But it is only in recent years that the power of social media as an integral business tool was discovered. The sad thing is that many think opening a simple Facebook page for your business is good enough; it’s not. In this article we will be investigating the concept of social media content marketing, the various social media platforms which are relevant to your target market, and some tips on how to create real engagement on these platforms in order to generate traffic that translates into profit.

What exactly is “social media marketing”?

Social media marketing is the way you run your various social media site accounts in order to gain website traffic or create brand awareness. The main aim is to create interesting and engaging content so that people will want to read and share your posts. It’s basically “word-of-mouth” advertising via the internet.

Choose your platform wisely.
Social media platforms all differ in user profiles, whether with age, race, professional status, different interests, etc. That’s why it’s absolutely crucial that you choose the correct platform to market your business. Otherwise, you might never reach your specific target market. Let’s take a look at some of the most prominent platforms.

1. Facebook
This is the dominant social site globally. There are two negative aspects to Facebook: the fact that you put in great effort, but the results don’t always justify the effort; and with Facebook’s new promotional post policies, it’s very hard to actually get your post to show up in someone’s newsfeed unless you back the post with some capital or there is great human intervention, i.e., making a post go viral with shares. Facebook might seem easy, but it’s one of the trickiest platforms for marketing.

2. Twitter
Twitter works in real time, but tweets have a very short lifespan. Robert Kyiosaki once said that it’s a clever marketing move to publish a tweet multiple times in order to ensure that your audience sees it. The people you follow also have to be carefully selected; choose people who fall within your target market, like-minded people as well as competitors to keep an eye on some of their strategies. You can create lists within Twitter to separate all these individuals. Hashtags are also very important in order to create a compelling campaign as well as to track the campaign results.

3. LinkedIn
If you are a small business owner, this is the site for you. This is where you network as a professional individual, as well as a business. You can build alliances through connections, post thought-provoking pieces that will catch the attention of business-minded people, and showcase your skills and business reviews. A hot tip is to include employees within this connection. Research has proven that old employees can be the best asset in generating future income.

4. Google+
Don’t underestimate Google+! Currently, it is showing the most growth per annum and is causing sleepless nights for Mark Zuckerberg with Facebook users closing their accounts and continuing their social media journey on the Google+ platform. The biggest perk of marketing on Google+ is its prioritization on the Google search engine.

• 5. YouTube
  Many have predicted it, and it has come true. Video has surpassed written content as the number one social media marketing tool. The only drawback is that a professional and impressive video needs a pretty big budget, which small business owners can’t always afford. You also have to ensure that your video content is truly appealing in order for it to stand out from the crowd.After you’ve decided on your chosen platforms, there are a few applications, such as “Hootsuite,” that will make managing these various sites a lot easier by centralizing posting. It also allows you to schedule future posts, which can be edited anytime you want.But how do you create truly engaging posts that will be liked, shared, and retweeted? If you follow our handy tips, you can’t go wrong.
• Don’t underestimate the author.Choosing the correct writer for your social media sites is crucial. You have to choose writers who are skilled, diligent, and pride themselves on doing quality work. At the same time, you need someone who will be able to write in the tone and style you consistently use on your social media sites.
• Save it for a rainy day.
  There will always be times you feel like you have run out of ideas. It’s critical that you sustain the standard of engaging content on your sites. So whenever you stumble upon an interesting topic, think a fascinating thought, or share some idea during conversation, collect and save it somewhere (whether manually or via an app). You never know when you might need it.
• Keep up to date with trends.
  What are people talking about or searching for on a specific day? If you stay within that theme, you will have a much better chance of being read by and engaged with a bigger audience.
• Don’t be so serious.
  If you bring humor and entertainment into your content, people are more likely to read and share it.
• Connect emotionally.
  If people can’t relate to your topic and tone, they immediately find your content unbelievable; and without that emotional connection, they are not very likely to engage with you or your brand at all.
• You can’t go wrong with videos.
  They’re watched and shared by the most people. If you are one of those who can’t afford to spend a lot of money on creating your own original video content, search for video content that links in with your theme or brand as well as the overall tone of your site and simply share it on your platform.
• Webinars.
  People enjoy live streams that give them the opportunity to connect with an individual who represents a brand. If they find you interesting and knowledgeable, they immediately have more respect for your brand, and they will be more likely to follow what you say or join in the next webinar.
• Remember who you’re writing for.
  Who is your target market? If it’s mothers and fathers, they will probably not have much interest in a lot of nightlife news; and if it’s students, they won’t be reading advice on mortgages. Choose themes and topics relevant to your target market.
• Choose the right time.
  If you do your homework well on the various social media platforms you will be using, you will notice that there are peak hours for each site when the most engagement takes place. Ensure that you plan your posts around these times.
• Offer a bribe.
  Never underestimate the power of incentives. Even the smallest of incentives is guaranteed to drive engagement.
• Make your readers write your post.
  Statistics have shown that posting a “fill-in-the-blanks” post is one of the most engaging. Let your audience be in charge of your post for a day.
• Chitchat.
  How do you normally get people to respond to you in conversation? You ask them a question! Social media posts are no exception to the rule.
• Let them vote.
  People are drawn to polls like moths to a flame it seems. Give them the opportunity to speak up, and they will.
• Tutorials & tips.
  This is an opportunity for people to learn something from your brand as well as an opportunity for you to show off your knowledge. People will use the services of those who know what they’re talking about. They are also more likely to share tutorials and tips with their network.
• The cute puppy phenomenon.
  That’s right; a cool image will always get a like and a share. Even if that means your entire newsfeed is filled with cute puppies in teacups. This is a phenomenon that never fails.By reading this article, you have undoubtedly learned a few new facts as well as some good tips on creating engaging content for your social media sites. Just remember to always keep up to date with what’s happening on your various social media platforms, whether that is what people are doing or talking about or whether it’s the terms and conditions and policies. Social media is a live organism that is constantly changing and evolving, and it’s your duty as a marketer to know what strategy will be most effective.