Mastering Social Selling in 2023
Payton Henry, June 26, 2023
Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, shaping the way we interact and communicate with one another. It has also transformed the way we buy and sell and how customers interact with brands. In 2023, It is more important than ever to understand social selling and how to integrate it effectively into your marketing strategy.
How it started
There’s debate in certain circles about when social media websites began, you could argue that social media sites date back to the 1970’s. But to decide when they truly began, you must define what constitutes a social media website. One of the first true social media sites (that is a site for users to create a profile, share connections and send communications between connections) was created in 1997. Some more recognizable channels such as Friendster and Myspace, or the big players that are used more frequently today (YouTube, LinkedIn, and early versions of Facebook )started between 2003 and 2005.
How brands use social media
Social media started as a place to connect with others, share photos and life updates, and chat with friends. In 2004, Facebook changed the game with the introduction of the first social ad: with JP Morgan for Chase credit cards. YouTube followed suit in the next year. By 2013, all major platforms had monetized their content with targeted ads. Since then, there have been many changes, including legislation around data privacy and countless updates to algorithms, and brands have revolutionized the way they use social media.
Some ways your brand can use social media today:
Sales or Generating Leads - There are many ways to do this, ecommerce sales, webinars, contact forms, etc.
Recruitment - Channels such as LinkedIn are a great way to attract new talent and expand your team.
Awareness - Getting your name out there with your target market with sponsored posts, ads, and groups.
Social media best practices
Develop a set of brand guidelines – this helps content remain consistent across channels and members of your social team can remain in sync.
Audit your performance – Develop specific goals and track your performance towards achieving them.
Respond promptly to comments and direct messages – Treat social channels as another form of customer service. Consider using a chatbot to manage inquiries outside of business hours for prompt service.
Know your audience - What channels they are on, what is appealing to them and where they are on their customer journeys.
There's no getting around using social media in 2023. Establishing goals and following some best practices can increase online visibility of your business and can also open a new sales channel. At 3|SHARE, I am constantly considering new ways to share our message across social media. You may have even arrived at this article via a social post. If you have an Adobe Experience cloud question or want to ask me more about social media marketing, get in touch.
Sources:
https://blog.hootsuite.com/history-social-media/
Payton Henry
Payton Henry is a Marketing Specialist at 3|SHARE. She enjoys the flexible environment 3|SHARE affords, and learning new things from her co-workers. Outside of work she enjoys walks with her dog and exploring new places.