The Power of Social Media Marketing

In Chapter 3, I deepened my understanding of Social Media Marketing Strategy and Social Media Advertising. This is an area where I already have some experience, particularly with my landscaping company, SnowMow Solutions. This past summer, I significantly elevated both the company and my social media marketing efforts. To reach and assist people in my community, I knew I needed to enhance my social media marketing and advertising. I utilized various platforms such as Facebook, NextDoor, and Instagram to post flyers and ads for the company. I noticed that at the beginning of summer, I posted more frequently than I did toward the end, as I started to rely more on referrals and clients spreading the word about my services. This past summer, I managed to reach and help over 50 people in my community, which would not have been possible without the power of social media marketing and advertising.

The chapter outlines several important steps in social media marketing and advertising, including identifying a target market, conducting a social media audit, establishing goals, selecting a platform, and defining a tone of voice. These are just a few of the many crucial steps involved in the marketing and advertising process.

Identifying a target market should be the first step in any social media strategy. Ideally, the social media target market should align with the overall company demographic. For my business, my target market primarily consisted of individuals who were unable to perform tasks such as lawn mowing, raking leaves, and shoveling snow. These individuals were the ones who most commonly responded to my posts seeking assistance. I aimed to tailor my posts to cater to this demographic, and it worked; the majority of the people I helped were indeed unable to perform these activities.

Establishing goals, objectives, and metrics is crucial for any social media marketing campaign. These elements guide the company's marketing strategies and future plans. Social media goals should always align with the company’s overarching goals. For example, when I started my company, my goal was to help my community while also generating income. As I designed posts and flyers, I kept this objective front and center in everything I did.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this chapter, and it was rewarding to reflect on the various types of social media marketing and advertising I implemented to keep my business afloat. The steps outlined in the chapter closely mirrored my experiences over the past year!