Social Media Marketing for Small and Medium Size Advertisers: Strategies and Tools
Updated: Feb 23, 2023
SEM and Social Media: Challenges and opportunities
With the rise of online consumerism, having a strong digital advertising strategy is now a necessity for small and medium-sized businesses to not only compete, but thrive.
Recent research shows that an overwhelming 63% of consumers make purchase decisions while on the clock, making it imperative for SME companies to stay ahead of the game. However, despite the clear need for a digital approach, many SME owners still struggle to get the support they need to fully capitalize on their digital channels. With an impending recession on the horizon, it's more important than ever for small business owners to make the most of their ad spend and navigate the digital landscape to drive growth and recovery.
Social media is a game-changer for small and medium businesses (SME) looking to compete in the digital age. With consumers spending more time online, it's crucial for SMEs to have a digital-first strategy in place to drive sales and navigate fierce competition. But for many SME- owners, the challenges of social media marketing can feel overwhelming.
That's where our guide comes in. We'll show you how to hack growth with social media marketing by overcoming the challenges and seizing the opportunities. From paid advertising to creating personalized, engaging content, we'll give you the strategies and tools you need to stand out from the competition and drive success. With Adcredo, you get all social media platforms in one place, created to make you more efficient and so you can focus on your content instead. Adcredo's platform helps you create high-performance ads for the most popular search and social platforms with only one campaign on the platforms that work best for your business.
Social media is also a valuable platform for SEO and SEM. By being active on social media, you can increase your online visibility, drive traffic to your website, and improve your search ranking. Whether you're struggling with time or expertise, we'll show you how to streamline your social media efforts and make the most of your ad spend. Don't let the challenges of social media marketing hold you back. With our guide, you'll be well on your way to maximizing your ROAS and driving growth for your business.
Why should your SME company advertise on social media?
Social media is an invaluable platform for small businesses when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM). By being active on social media, the company can increase its online visibility, increase traffic to its website and improve its search ranking.
Firstly, social media can contribute to increasing the overall number of users on the company's website. The more links that point to the website, the higher the likelihood that it will rank higher in search engine results or lead to a customer.
Secondly, social media can contribute to increasing traffic to the company's website. When the company shares links to its website on social media, the chances increase that more people will visit it. This in turn can lead to increased exposure and efficiency.
The Social Media Platforms to be on and why:
🕺 TikTok
TikTok is primarily for B2C brands, but can also be used for B2B to strengthen their employer brand. TikTok creates trends and helps brands increase awareness, create a feeling, and use videos to tell their story.
Who can I reach?
TikTok is the fastest growing social media platform globally and in Sweden. It is currently most popular among younger people (15-30), but it is growing in every target group every day.
Who is it good for?
If you run a business and want to expand your audience, TikTok is the place for you. With its hyper-engaged community of trendsetters, and word-of-mouth advocates, TikTok is the perfect place to reach new customers and grow your business, especially if you are a SME company looking to challenge bigger companies. There's something here for everyone – whether you want to reach Gen Z, millennials, parents, or grandparents, every generation has flocked here to join in on the fun – and countless subcultures gather here to share their latest discoveries.
Instagram has grown into a multifaceted platform where you can advertise in various ways. You can choose from image ads, image series, video clips, stories, or Instagram Shopping. It's a great channel for building awareness and conveying a story.
Who can I reach?
Nearly 2 out of 3 in Sweden have used Instagram in the past year and nearly half use it daily. Basically, all Instagram users use the feed, that is, Instagram posts. Up to half use the Stories feature.
Who is it good for?
If you run an Agency or Enterprise in the SME range and want to expand your audience, Instagram is an excellent place to advertise for many types of businesses and many target groups. Especially if you are a B2C company and/or visual communication suits you.
LinkedIn users are professionals who are actively looking to connect with other businesses and individuals in their industry. This makes it easier to reach your target audience and ensure that your ads are seen by the right people. LinkedIn is a social network that's all about the working world and networking between job seekers and companies. Around 4 out of 10 working individuals have used LinkedIn in the past year.
Who can I reach?
LinkedIn users are highly engaged and are more likely to interact with ads than users on other social media platforms. This means that your ads are more likely to be seen and clicked on.
LinkedIn's targeting options are some of the most advanced in the industry. You can target users based on job title, industry, location, and more, giving you the ability to precisely reach your desired audience.
Who is it good for?
If you run an Agency or Enterprise and want to expand your audience, Linkedin is an great place to advertise for many types of businesses and professionals. Especially if you are a B2B company or a recruitment agency.
People come to Twitter to discover and stay updated with trends and the latest news. This can include trends, what Elon Musk is up to next, live updates on tech releases, and sports news. More than 53% of people on Twitter are more likely to be the first to buy new products.
Who can I reach?
Twitter is a social network site with a microblog feature, where users write their own short posts that can be read by anyone. Overall, one in five internet users 8 years or older have used Twitter in the past year. The Twitter audience can be characterized as influential, early adopters, and trendsetters.
Who is it good for?
People on Twitter are more likely to be the first to buy new products. Twitter is a great addition to your campaign for product launches in the areas of tech, IT, finance, sports, games, electronics, and creating trends or hype. If your target audience is interested in the latest and is a good fit for B2B companies and/or men between the ages 15-50, adding Twitter is excellent!
The Do’s and Don'ts of Paid Advertising Campaigns
Paid advertising campaigns can be a powerful tool for SME’s looking to reach new customers and drive sales. However, there are a few do's and don'ts that can make or break the success of your campaign.
First, let's talk about the do's of paid advertising campaigns:
✅ Do your research: Before you launch your campaign, take the time to research your target audience and the platforms they are most active on. This can include finding out what age, gender, location and other demographic measurements your target audience is. This will help you create an effective campaign that reaches the right people at the right time. If this is something you as an advertiser feels is difficult. Help is to be found. We recommend you turn to a trusted marketing partner who has extensive experience in helping smaller advertisers succeed with their marketing or contact us at Adcredo for a consultation.
✅ Do use targeting options: Most paid advertising platforms offer targeting options such as demographics, interests, and behaviors. These options can help you reach a more specific and engaged audience, which can lead to better results for your campaign. All platforms have built-in machine learning so you as an advertiser don’t have to be too narrow with your control but can trust the platform's algorithms as long as well. Get the best possible ROI without having to constantly update your own best practices for each platform by using Adcredo.
✅ Use Video Content: Video content tends to perform better on social media because it captures a viewer's attention for a longer period of time. For example, tweets with a video included can see 10 times more engagement, and Instagram Reels are currently one of the best growth hacks on Instagram.
✅ Track your results: Tracking the results of your campaign will help you see what's working and what's not. This information will help you make data-driven decisions about how to optimize your campaign for better results. On Adcredos platform you can create one report for all platforms and generate a link so you can share it with your clients or team members.. Or your mom (who’s judging).
✅ Share your results: Follow up on your campaigns and find out what is a win or a lesson for future campaigns. Adcredo gathers data across all into one single customizable report that can be converted into numerous formats and easily shared.
Now, let's talk about the don'ts of paid advertising campaigns:
🙅 Don't neglect your budget: Without a budget in place, it's easy to overspend on your campaign. Make sure you have a budget in place and stick to it.
🙅 Don’t forget other platforms: You might miss out on your target audience but only using one platform. Consider using a multimedia company like Adcredo. Adcredo offers a platform that helps SMEs create high-performance ads for the most popular search and social platforms, all in one place.
🙅 Don't ignore the ad fatigue: Running an ad for too long can lead to people becoming desensitized to it, and you will see a decrease in click-through rate and conversion rate. Make sure to switch up your ads to keep them fresh and interesting.
🙅 Don’t forget to optimize: Reporting is key but usually eats up a lot of time. We have the solution. The Adcredo professional reporting tool allows you to get hold of all the valuable metrics needed and nicely put it together for all selected channels into one and the same report. No data scientists or code experience required.
Combine the channels
Maximize Your Marketing Efforts with Adcredo: Reach Your Audience Across Multiple Platforms. With 95% of Swedes using social media, you can't afford to miss out. Navigating different platforms and vendors can be tricky and time-consuming, but with the right strategy, creativity, and resources, you can make the most of your marketing efforts and achieve your goals without breaking the bank. Adcredo is one of the first platforms in the world to bring together search and social media channels for creating, optimizing, and reporting on campaigns.
Measure your success
Small and medium-sized businesses can maximize their ad spend and see real results with paid advertising campaigns. By following best practices and avoiding common mistakes, SMEs can create effective campaigns that drive real results. But to truly optimize your ad spend, tracking and measuring the results of your campaigns is key.
But who has the time to sift through mountains of data and create detailed reports? Adcredo's professional reporting tool does the work for you, providing all the valuable metrics you need in one easy-to-read report. No data science or coding skills required. Give Adcredo a try and simplify your reporting process today!
How does Adcredo work?
Start your 30-days free trial now. Keep your focus on the content. The Adcredo platform architecture is built on top of the largest Search and Social Media platforms with machine learning at its core.
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