Social media platforms are frequently changed, causing once effective marketing techniques to be less useful. Staying updated on many platforms will be much more difficult than a focused one or two. [4] X Research source Stay abreast of updates by subscribing to media marketing blogs or signing up for platform newsletters, like Facebook’s Marketing Partner Weekly Update. [5] X Research source Look up online resources to learn marketing techniques for your chosen platform(s). Many social media marketing gurus offer advice on their YouTube channels or Facebook pages. What works and what doesn’t depends on your industry, platform, and target audience. It is important to constantly test different kinds of posts to stay ahead of the competition. [6] X Research source
Create a Reddit account and subscribe to subreddits in your industry to identify and monitor relevant topics to your customer base. Research doesn’t have to be boring! Make color-coded spreadsheets with Google Spreadsheets or Excel to list topic areas in your industry. Use this list to improve variety of your posts.
Bookmark or screenshot your favorite advertising campaigns from the companies you follow. Look to these for inspiration in your own advertising. Set up an RSS feed to follow advertising related news from websites like AdAge, PSFK, Creativity Magazine, and eMarketer. [10] X Research source
If readers feel like you’re spamming them with useless promotion, they’ll likely unfollow or block you. Keep posts relevant and useful. Avoid repetition to keep your writing fresh and interesting. [13] X Research source
Contact a local charity, politician, school, or business and express your interest in volunteering your services to their social media marketing department. Write a personal blog covering topics in your chosen industry to build your presence and reputation. Get some experience writing a weekly blog for a local business. [14] X Research source
Share some of your recent projects with people in your chosen industry along with future projects you hope to work on. This is a subtle way of indicating specific areas of expertise and interest to others. [15] X Research source Search online for professional mixers, expos, and organizations, like the New York Social Media Club or the New Media Expo. Attend these events and exchange your contact information with other attendees. [16] X Research source
Drive up community engagement on your Facebook page by sharing relevant posts from other organizations in your industry or groundbreaking research. [18] X Research source Reach out to notable users in your industry on Twitter by tweeting to them directly with an @ symbol followed by a user’s name. The same can be done on Facebook by linking other users to posts. Grab the attention of online users by responding to posts. Don’t be afraid to respectfully take a stance or voice your opinion on issues. [19] X Research source
Get in touch with contacts by phone. Keep the conversation short, but personal, by saying something like, “I’m a little busy today, but I wanted to call and see how you were doing. ” Similar to phone conversations, connect with contacts through email. Use a simple template and add a few personal comments to make the message more organic.
Make up for weak areas in your social media marketing skillset by bringing in a partner who’s good at what you’re not. To reach out to others, you might say, “I’ve got Twitter under control, but I think handling it and Facebook would be overwhelming. How about we work together and you manage Facebook?” As an added bonus (and who doesn’t love bonuses?), your project will have increased engagement from fellow collaborators’ online followings. [22] X Research source
Pay specific attention to how you positively impacted growth, savings, and time. Keep track of analytics in a spreadsheet. Employers regard numerical proof of your skills highly. Instead of making broad statements, say things like, “I was able to increase unique views by 250% in three months. ” Honesty is the best policy when applying with companies. You may be asked to back up your data. If you can’t because you fudged the numbers, it could hurt your reputation.
Some of the most useful portfolio samples include things like integrated marketing campaigns, new ideas, and particularly effective campaigns. A digital portfolio can be uploaded to your professional website or a platform page, like LinkedIn and Facebook. It’ll show preparedness if you have a hardcopy of your portfolio at interviews. Print materials on quality paper and insert them into a professional binder.
To protect yourself from accidentally posting something inappropriate, run your content by a friend, coworker, or supervisor before publishing it online. When you’re feeling emotional, give yourself some time to calm down. If you’re ever on the fence about a post, give yourself a day or two to think it over. Consistency is an important key for locking down your image. Inconsistently posting or publishing dubious content could make you seem unreliable. [24] X Research source
Visual techniques, like the use of photos and memes, are an eye-catching way of promoting products and services. Employers will want to see evidence of your ability to include visual elements in your work. [25] X Research source
