[custom_adv] Everybody and their mother is using social media in some way these days - in fact, there's now an estimated 2.62 billion active users of social platforms, and rising every day. However, it goes without saying that social media has significantly more potential than merely serving as a forum for sharing selfies and memes. [custom_adv] That potential is something that's been recognized by nearly every company as an opportunity to help grow their business - many brands even feel ‘invisible’ without some type of social media presence. [custom_adv] In some ways, this is true - social media can be used as a powerful marketing tool by businesses in nearly every type of industry. However, while social is a valuable marketing tools, the biggest mistake that most businesses make with their social media efforts is that they focus too much on vanity metrics. [custom_adv] The first example is perhaps the most obvious, but also an often overlooked opportunity. There are various ways to make direct sales to your social media audience - however many businesses seem to forget that this is even an option because there's so much social media advice out there which warns against too much self-promotion. [custom_adv] That being said, there is a time and place where making a direct CTA is appropriate. This is particularly effective when you have the right balance between interesting content and an appealing product. [custom_adv] I’ll admit, some industries are better suited to direct sales on social media. Interior design, furniture, fashion, real estate, and other visually-appealing businesses usually do better, simply because the visual nature of their products is more appealing in the social content environment. [custom_adv] Social media monetization is effectively the process of generating revenue from your social media audience. This can be achieved in a number of different ways that we’ll dive into in this post.
