What You Might be Doing Wrong with Social Media Marketing

If you've been paying attention to the recent changes in Google Analytics, you may have noticed the new multichannel funnels. This is an incredible tool that provides great insight, and has fortunately unearthed some new discoveries about social media marketing and what you may have been doing so far that isn't working as well as it could.

Here are two metrics that you should understand:

Last interaction conversions are the interactions you have where you ask people to buy from you - the final touchpoints before your goal is achieved. In order to drive results in this metric you need to have a large audience of people who are qualified to buy (your social media connections). It seems obvious, but asking the same 100 people over and over again if they need a new roof will generate rapidly diminishing returns and alienate those people quickly.

Assisted conversions are the interactions that eventually lead to and contribute to crossing the finish line. In order to drive results in this metric you need to get people to your website, specifically to the call-to-action page where they can initiate a bid request, a service dispatch for leak repair, etc. If all you are doing on is being friendly and conversational on Facebook, replying to everyone on Twitter as fast as you can and not moving prospective clients to the start of your conversion process, you are not going to show any results here.

So how exactly do you make social media marketing work better?

First, constantly build and grow a targeted network of prospective clients, or you won’t have anyone to ask to buy. The larger you grow your social network, the more people will be eligible and interested on any given day to do business with you. Set a goal. Can you add 5 or more new relevant connections on each platform every day? This is what it takes to produce more last interaction conversions.

Second, increase your "gentle encouragenent" of your connections to actually go to your website. Offer them valuable content that is only there (i.e., content that is not on the social networks). Have a call-to-action. Create an incentive for visiting your website (something that they care to see, read or do). This will produce more assisted conversions.

If you commit to doing these simple steps for 30 days, you should see a dramatic improvement in your social media marketing efforts. Then feel free to come back in 30 days and comment on this blog post with your experience and describe the results you've seen.

Finally, here is a quote from Gerry Praysman of Brainshark that I felt was relevant for this blog post. Please consider this as you continue to grow and interact with your social media network:

"If all you are doing is auto-posting your blogs and links for the SEO 'value', then no one will develop a connection with you. The most successful Facebook presences I’ve seen care about what the community wants and doesn’t want, provide constant value, and ALWAYS vary their content."

Do you have any questions about this blog post?

Please email Chris@RoofPal.com to discuss. If you would like help improving and/or executing your social media strategy, please visit http://roofpal.com/coach.aspx to see how RoofPal can assist you.