Social media has changed the world by connecting people more easily than ever before. The marketing industry has also been changed immensely by the introduction of social media marketing. It has become much easier to reach reaching the desired demographic than it ever was with any other type of content marketing, especially with the introduction of hashtags. The following are some ways social media has impacted marketing strategy.

Branding Has Become Easier

There have been times where building a brand took years. The only place that many companies had to build their brand and public voice was via PR as well as their website. Building a favorable brand with the public has become much easier on account of social media. Something as simple as bantering back and forth with a customer can build loyalty. This can also build a comfortable relationship between company and customer, which can show the human side of a corporation.

There are huge companies that have quite a lot of fun with their social media. Taco Bell is a great example of a company with a great social media presence. Instead of constantly selling, the social media team engages with customers in both serious and playful ways.

The Impact of Social Media on SEO

While Google will not divulge any secrets to their algorithm changes from year to year, one thing is certain and that is that social engagement impacts search engine rankings. The way that it impacts the ranking is that the trust of a site with quite a lot of social traffic is boosted. However, there are websites with low traffic and zero social engagement, sometimes referred to as  ad farms, that are made for the sole purpose of generating ad revenue. A link from the site with reader and social engagement will mean more when it comes to search ranking than the ad farm.

The fact that social media links rank on Google is just another reason to take advantage of the various platforms. When people are searching for a brand, social media pages are one of the first ones to come up. Not updating this page can lead a person to guess that a small company might not be open. At the very least the person will think that the company might not care about their public image as they do not even update social media profiles.

Less Is Better

Less is better refers to the copy that catches the eyes of people on social media. A short tweet or Facebook post that intrigues a reader to click on a link to a company’s website is ideal. Some social media teams utilize pictures in a larger way than copy as certain people will be intrigued by media rather than print. The growing trend for people to like and share images rather than copy content has been immense in changing strategies for social media marketers.

A great way to learn some of these skills is through a program like JHU has for a Master of Business in Marketing. The classes can allow a person how to write effective copy as well as have an eye for what will breed engagement.

A company that does not utilize  social media can be crippling growth. The lack of social media a company has can be viewed as a lack of care about a company. Companies that do not have social media are not using one of the best ways to engage with current and potential customers. Take advantage of social media and allow it to boost the business to new heights.