5 Marketing on social media

Social media is something that many of us engage with for social purposes. But these platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, can also be used to market your business very effectively and, if your business is a service, make it more visible to potential employers or consumers. Watch this short clip of our creative freelancers explaining how they use it to communicate with potential customers.

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Transcript: Video 6

CASSIE LEEDHAM:

Social media has definitely become the place that I get work. I don't know how I feel about that, because it doesn't seem like a very reliable way to get work. But it seems to keep working, and I think social media combined with word of mouth tends to be the way that things keep rolling.

TERRI BROWN:

Social media is absolutely 100% essential. There's no chance I could do what I'm doing without it. No way.

CASSIE LEEDHAM:

I've started doing things like releasing little videos of how I work and that my painting process when I'm doing digital paintings. People enjoy that. And just sort of being more less of a business, I know I keep saying that. But less like a business and more like an individual that's working more.

CRAIG SPIVEY:

The internet just consumes cool visual creative things, so you're a creative person, do what you can to get your stuff out there with it.

CASSIE LEEDHAM:

I didn't used to use Twitter, but I use it a lot now and I've got quite a big following on there and people that are quite faithful on there that I don't know. And that's very different from Facebook where you're constantly advertising to your friends and family and that's very limited, and you feel bad after a while saying, hey, buy my stuff. So Twitter became a really nice place to go because you find like minded people who are interested in what you're doing.

JESSICA ROWE:

We found that kind of behind the scenes things work quite well as well. So content that describes how we're making things and why we're making it and who we're making it with.

CASSIE LEEDHAM:

Also getting the odd celebrity tweet that seems to be like if that happens, which has happened a couple of times, then it's just like boom for a month and then you have to go back to the start sadly unless you can figure out how to make the most of that, which I haven't yet. [LAUGHS]

End transcript: Video 6

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Video 6

During the Covid-19 pandemic, social media became an increasingly important tool for building a brand and connecting with customers, a situation that is unlikely to return to how it was, as consumers realise the benefits of digital engagement.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a free and easy way to build your brand and engage your customers though. Done properly, social media takes time and regular commitment.

Newberry (2021) provides lots of tips, including the following:

• Start with a plan – set goals and objectives, research the competition, evaluate your current efforts and create a calendar for posting the right content to the right channels.
• Decide which platforms are right for you – work out who you are targeting with your product or service, and which platforms they use.
• Build relationships – talking directly to customers and followers means you can build a loyal community, which can lead to ongoing sales over time. This has been a particularly important way of boosting positivity during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Mix up your formats – if you normally post images, try a video or a GIF.
• Use scheduling and automation to free up your time – dedicate one block of time per day, or even per week, so you can focus on other important tasks.

Another key point when engaging with your customers is – be prepared to respond, especially to negative comments. It’s well established that trust is deepened and customer loyalty to a brand increases if a problem is dealt with well.

Next you’ll hear from a freelance bridal makeup artist about her experiences of using social media to enhance her business.