Social Media Marketing

When you hear names like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok, you’re probably familiar with these popular social media platforms. These spaces serve as virtual communities where millions of users come together to connect, explore, and share what they love. For brands, these platforms offer a unique opportunity to establish an online presence and foster closer relationships with their customers.

This chapter introduces you to the basics of Social Media Marketing (SMM), providing insights into how brands can leverage these platforms to increase visibility and engage more effectively with their target audience.

What is Social Media Marketing?

Even though you may use social media regularly, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re adept at leveraging it for marketing purposes.

Let’s start by understanding what Social Media Marketing truly means.

Social Media Marketing refers to the process of creating and curating content tailored for various social media platforms to communicate with customers and promote brand reputation.

Commonly abbreviated as SMM, it focuses on connecting with the right audience by delivering the right message at the right time.

But why should brands or marketers of this era prioritize Social Media Marketing? How essential is it to a brand’s success?

The Importance of Social Media Marketing for Brands

Image Source: datareportal.com

Social Media is growing rapidly, with the number of users increasing every year. According to Datareportal.com, 57% of the global population was actively using social media in 2021.

This immense user base presents a golden opportunity for brands to connect with existing customers and reach new target audiences.

Here are 6 key benefits that Social Media Marketing offers to brands and businesses:

Social media platforms serve as valuable tools for brands to understand their customers better. By observing behaviors such as likes, shares, and comments, brands can uncover critical insights about their audience.

An Instagram Business Account example from Socialinsider.io

In addition, Business Accounts, Creator Accounts, or Official Accounts on various social media platforms come with built-in analytics features. These tools help brands gain deeper insights into their audience and understand the performance of their content more effectively.

From the example of an Instagram Business Account above, it’s clear that brands can gather a variety of data and insights, such as:

• The days and times when users are most active
• Total impressions
• Overall account activity
• The posts and stories with the highest reach

These tools are typically available for free, providing valuable information without needing to incur additional costs. These insights allow brands to adjust their strategies and create more effective content tailored to their audience.

It’s important to note that your business is not the only one stepping into the Social Media space—many other brands, including your competitors, are also establishing their presence. This highlights another key advantage of Social Media Marketing: you can study how your competitors operate their business and execute their marketing strategies.

You can learn how they use Social Media to sell their products, create content, and study the behavior of their followers, such as the problems their followers are discussing or the topics their followers are talking about.

You can use this information to adapt your strategies and create content that meets their needs. Additionally, you can study how each brand responds to or engages with their customers on Social Media.

Use this data to compare with your own business strategies and methods to analyze and develop strategies that better meet the needs of customers in your industry.

Because Social Media is a space where people interact, knowing how to utilize it effectively can help you build brand awareness and make people aware of your brand’s presence and identity.

The key to Social Media Marketing is storytelling through content. The more engaging or attention-grabbing the content, the more it helps to create widespread brand awareness. Therefore, brands should consistently produce content that aligns with their followers’ interests to build a strong brand image and repeatedly remind people of their products or services.

In the future, this brand recall will help make the brand more recognizable and increase opportunities for acquiring new customer segments.

What do people use Social Media for today besides following and searching for interests?

One key benefit of Social Media is being a tool that enables faster and easier communication. Messages can be delivered instantly, and brands can use this advantage to build connections with customers easily.

Whether through comments, likes, or shares on brand posts, or even direct messages in inbox, these all create positive relationship beginnings. Brands can learn what customers like or dislike, and use this feedback to improve their strategies and approaches.

Furthermore, Social Media’s two-way communication support helps customers feel heard by brands and perceive brands as more accessible. This increases the chance of customers developing stronger bonds with the brand and potentially becoming actual customers in the future.

5. Social Media helps increase leads and conversions for brands

In addition to spreading brand awareness and helping brands build stronger relationships with customers, Social Media Marketing also facilitates lead generation and conversion, turning target audiences into actual customers.

Nowadays, nearly all Social Media platforms provide opportunities for brands to sell their products or services. If your content, especially those showcasing your products, meets customer satisfaction, you can generate leads or sales from visitors to your Social Media page. This can be achieved through organic content (regular content without paid advertising) or paid content.

Furthermore, some Social Media platforms now offer features designed to simplify the shopping experience directly on the platform. This eliminates the need to navigate between websites, shortening the customer journey and increasing conversion opportunities.

For instance, Facebook and Instagram have introduced Facebook Shop and Instagram Shop, which are features designed to help small businesses sell online more easily. In simple terms, these platforms now allow you to promote and sell all in one place.

A Facebook Shop example from About.fb.com

An Instagram Shop example from About.fb.com

6. Social Media helps promote branding and the brand’s image

Another important factor that every brand, whether small, medium, or large, must always consider is branding or the brand’s image. Social Media can play a significant role in strengthening that image.

Brands can express their ‘identity’ through images, text, fonts, writing styles, or even artwork. These elements effectively communicate the essence of the brand on various Social Media platforms. This is also known as Brand Identity or Corporate Identity, which helps enhance and clarify the brand’s uniqueness.

And that’s why you might feel that some brands seem very approachable, while others exude a sense of maturity or strong credibility.

With all these benefits, you might be interested in trying out Social Media Marketing yourself, right? Let’s explore the different channels for implementing SMM!

What are the channels for Social Media Marketing?

Of course, you’re already familiar with giants like Facebook and Twitter, but beyond these platforms, there are many other platforms where you can communicate and interact with potential customers.

And here are the channels that Content Shifu believes are suitable for the context of Thailand.

1. Facebook

It’s impossible not to mention the massive Social Media platform with millions of users that continues to grow every year—Facebook. It is often one of the first Social Media platforms people think of when they want to create their own Page, whether for personal use or for their company.

Image from Content Shifu

Key features of this platform are:

• Facebook can separate Personal Accounts from Business Pages, allowing people to like or follow brand pages.
• Facebook allows people to create Groups for online communities. Brands can similarly build their own communities using this feature.
• Facebook has users across all age groups – teenagers, working adults, and elderly – making it one of the main channels for many brands.
• Facebook offers brands various content creation opportunities such as photo and video posting, website link sharing, live video streaming, and creating events for customer engagement

2. Instagram

Another popular platform, almost as widely used as Facebook, is Instagram. The distinctive feature of this Social Media channel is its ability to allow brands to express their branding or identity very clearly through the posting of images and videos, which are the most suitable mediums for Instagram.

Key features of this platform are:

• Instagram is a platform where brands can effectively communicate with customers through visuals, making it ideal for brands that focus on selling products and services that can be visually represented.
• Instagram allows customers to easily interact with brands through features like Instagram Stories, where they can send messages via Direct Message (DM).
• Instagram supports users in promoting their favorite shops with the Support Small Business feature, which helps enhance awareness through peer-to-peer promotion.
• Instagram also allows users to share photos or videos from public accounts to their own Stories, a feature brands can use too. For instance, brands can share customer reviews or content mentioning the brand, enhancing engagement between the brand and its customers.

3. Twitter

Image from ContentShifu

The blue bird, which many people might recognize, is another Social Media platform that is equally popular, with the number of users now reaching 397 million and continuing to grow.

On Twitter, you could say it’s similar to writing a short blog post, so brands need to master the art of storytelling within a limit of 280 characters.

Key features of this platform are:

• Twitter is a platform where brands can easily create conversations with their followers or engage with other users, potentially increasing brand awareness.
• Twitter allows brands to become storytellers, crafting content through text and images.
• Twitter has a strong culture of using hashtags (#), enabling brands to start their own communities or join conversations under those hashtags.
• Twitter is ideal for brands that want to create real-time content or engage with trends, as the platform’s timeline moves quickly.

4. LINE OA

The primary communication platform for Thais is undoubtedly LINE. Aside from personal conversations, many Thai brands are also using this platform for marketing purposes. This is referred to as LINE OA or LINE Official Account, which is widely utilized by many businesses.

Key features of this platform are:

• LINE OA is a Social Media platform that brings brands closer to customers by allowing brands to engage on a platform that is considered the primary communication channel for Thais.
• LINE OA offers free features such as Rich Message, Rich Video Message, Rich Menu, and Reward Coupons, which act as shortcuts for customers to interact directly from the chat interface.
• LINE OA allows brands to set up an automatic Greeting Message. When a customer adds the brand as a friend, a welcome message is sent immediately, ensuring no customer is left waiting.
• LINE OA helps brands continually build engagement with customers through Broadcast messages. It also enables the use of predefined Keywords for automatic responses, enhancing customer interaction efficiency.

5. Tiktok

Image from Tiktok.com

The Social Media platform that has captured the hearts of users in this era, especially younger audiences, is none other than TikTok. This platform allows users to fully showcase their creativity, providing a space where they can easily edit and create videos without having to switch between platforms.

If a brand can create short, concise, and engaging content that resonates with customers, it will effectively attract more people to become familiar with and interested in the brand.

Key features of this platform are:

• TikTok allows brands to post video content without limiting their creativity, but they must communicate their message within the time frame set by TikTok.
• TikTok enables users to Duet videos with other users, and brands can join in and engage with the community in a fun and interactive way.
• TikTok also incorporates the use of hashtags, and brands can create content around trending hashtags to increase visibility. This helps the brand’s videos appear more frequently and reach a wider and more diverse audience on users’ timelines.

6. LinkedIn

Image from Apple

Arriving at a Social Media platform that many people might think is solely for job searching, LinkedIn is actually quite effective for marketing as well. However, it may not be suitable for every industry.

Key features of this platform are:

• LinkedIn serves as a platform for brands to build their network, whether through the brand itself, its executives, or employees.
• With its professional image, LinkedIn is ideal for creating business-related content to enhance branding, including texts, images, videos, or even links to websites.
• LinkedIn enables two-way communication between brands and users, which helps expand the brand’s reach and visibility even further.

7. Youtube

Image from Content Shifu

When it comes to Social Media for video content, it can only be YouTube, which is a video search engine from Google and is recognized as a vast online community that consolidates almost every type of video in one place, whether for educational purposes or entertainment.

Key features of this platform are:

• YouTube is the most prominent platform for video content, with over 2 billion users and continued growth. It is ideal for brands that specialize in or want to create video-based content.
• YouTube does not limit the video length, so you can create content as short as 5-10 minutes or even as long as several hours, depending on your goals and audience preferences.
• YouTube offers features like the ability to embed links to other videos from the same channel directly within a video, enabling brands to drive higher views and keep users engaged with their other content.

8. Blockdit

Image from blockdit.com

Blockdit is a Thai Social Media platform that serves as a vast repository of knowledge filled with interesting topics. Anyone can share stories about their interests or expertise to disseminate information to other users. While it may seem tailored for personal use, brands can also effectively leverage this space to engage with their audience and share relevant content.

Key features of this platform are:

• Blockdit allows brands to become top of mind for users by producing content related to their business or industry in a way that educates or provides value to the audience.
• Blockdit enables brands to create content freely based on their strengths, whether it be in the form of articles, videos, or podcasts. Brands can even choose to produce all three types of content to maximize reach.
• Blockdit categorizes content into various categories, covering a wide range of topics. Your business or brand could potentially fit into one of those categories, making it easier to connect with a targeted audience interested in your niche.

9. Pantip

Image from Pantip.com

One of Thailand’s oldest yet still popular online communities is Pantip, or the well-known “purple website,” recognized for its unique thread titles created by users. While Pantip may seem more suited for personal use, brands can also actively participate and engage with the community.

Key features of this platform are:

• Pantip is a UGC (User Generated Content) platform where users can create threads to ask questions or share topics of interest within their favorite categories. Brands can use this opportunity to engage by answering questions or offering help related to their industry, showcasing their expertise.
• Pantip offers a Log-in function for organizations, allowing brands to directly communicate with users. Through an Official Account, brands can post educational or informative threads, positioning themselves as experts in their respective categories and increasing brand awareness among the community.

An example of a Pantip Official Account 

10. Clubhouse

If we talk about Social Media Marketing today, it would be impossible not to mention Clubhouse, the relatively new app that promotes content in audio format, bringing the talk show stage to your smartphone. Let’s see how brands can engage in marketing on this platform.

Key features of this platform are:

• Clubhouse is a voice-based platform where users can create rooms on topics of interest to engage in discussions or talk shows. Brands can also create rooms to discuss their areas of expertise to attract an audience.
• In addition to allowing brands to be the moderators of their own rooms, Clubhouse also enables them to participate in other rooms. Brands can join conversations with users to build positive interactions.

These Social Media channels serve as vital avenues for brands to amplify their voice, helping them spread brand awareness, increase engagement, and drive conversions. They act as tools that allow brands to connect with their target audiences more quickly and effectively.

By now, you’re probably interested or even eager to dive into Social Media Marketing, right? Let’s take a look at the steps involved in getting started!

6 Steps to Successful Social Media Marketing

Having explored Social Media Marketing (SMM) in overview, it’s clear that brands establishing a presence on these online platforms significantly benefit themselves. Not only does it foster closer relationships with existing customers, but it also increases the opportunity to attract new customers and generate leads.

However, the key or the heart of Social Media Marketing isn’t just about signing up for a Business Account. It’s about crafting a strategy that drives the brand’s success on these platforms. This strategy consists of 6 crucial steps, which are:

1.  Know your business
2.  Know your audience
3.  Set Goals & Objectives
4.  Plan and curate contents
5.  Use Tools to Support the Brand
6.  Analyze and optimize

1. Know your business

The first step, which is essential in any business strategy, is for the brand to understand itself. This means knowing its strengths and weaknesses, identifying where it stands out, and figuring out which marketing approaches can be adapted and applied effectively and appropriately to align with the brand’s goals.

There are two main tools that brands can use to analyze and gain a better understanding of themselves: the Business Canvas. This tool consists of several rectangular sections, each representing different aspects of the business, as illustrated below. Each section can be adjusted to fit the specific needs of the business and its industry.

Image from strategyzer.com

The second tool is SWOT Analysis, a widely recognized framework consisting of 4 quadrants: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. As shown below, brands can use these factors to analyze and refine their marketing strategies effectively.

Image from Similarweb.com

2. Know your audiences

Once a brand understands its business direction and its strengths and weaknesses, the next step is to clearly define its Target Audience—understanding ‘who they want to communicate with’. This can be done through the creation of a Customer Persona.

An example of a Customer Persona from contentshifu.com

A Customer Persona includes the following:

1. Basic Customer Information: Age, Occupation, Income, Family, Residence, and Education
2. Goals / Lifestyle / Interests
3. Purchasing Behavior and Online Channels
4. Journey Behavior

3. Set Goals & Objective

The next step for a brand is to define its ‘goals’ and ‘objectives’ for Social Media Marketing. This step is crucial because the clearer your vision for the future, the easier it is to create plans and strategies for your business. Clear goals should follow the SMART goals framework, which includes these 5 key factors:

An example of a SMART Goal from productplan.com

1. Specific: Goals that are clear and well-defined.
2. Measurable: Goals that can be quantified or evaluated concretely.
3. Attainable: Goals that are realistic and achievable.
4. Relevant: Goals that are related to and align with the brand’s overall mission.
5. Time-bound: Goals that have a specific timeframe or deadline for completion.

An example of planning SMART Goals for Social Media Marketing:

“Brand A wants to increase its followers on Facebook by 50%, or an additional 20,000 followers, through various types of content posted on Facebook within 1 year.”

There are no fixed rules for how short or long a SMART goal should be, as long as the goal is clear and specific.

4. Plan & Curate Contents

If you produce content for Social Media without a key component like ‘Content Planning’, it could negatively impact your business. Therefore, at this stage, brands should carefully consider the type of content they want to create, such as:

• Real-Time Content
• Educational Content
• FAQ Content
• Inspirational Content and More

If you want to create quality content but are struggling with ideas, you can explore inspiration and content creation ideas from this article.

After a brand decides on the type of content to create, the next step is to organize a Content Calendar, which resembles a monthly calendar. The Content Calendar helps schedule what type of content should be posted on specific days, ensuring consistency and strategic planning for Social Media campaigns.

An Example of A Content Calendar from Hubspot.com

5. Use Tools to Support the Brand

Or if you’re out of ideas and can’t think of content, what should you do? This step acts as a solution to help the brand spark new content ideas. It enables the brand to create content and have it ready for use at any time.

The first recommended tool is Google Trends, which acts as Google’s “ears” that listen to the needs and interests of users on the Search Engine. Brands can search for keywords and compare them to study which topics are garnering more attention.

An Example of Google Trends from Googletrends.com

Another tool is the website Answer The Public, which collects people’s interests from different regions. When you search for a specific keyword, the website organizes the interests into a visual chart, as shown in the example below, branching out into categories like What, When, Where, Why, How, and Who, among others.

Example of tools to assist Content Creators from answerthepublic.com

6. Analyze and Optimize the Results

The final step of the Social Media Marketing strategy, after releasing all the content across various platforms, is analyzing the results. At this stage, the brand will determine whether the goals set were achieved as expected.

Accessing insights for analysis may require the use of Social Media Marketing Tools such as: Fanpage Karma, Mention, and Keyhole. These tools help track and analyze social media performance metrics to better understand campaign effectiveness.

If you have your own website, you can use Google Analytics to track where the traffic from Social Media is coming from (using UTM parameters). This allows you to analyze and improve your content production for those platforms in the future.

Summary

When brands begin to embrace Social Media Marketing to establish their presence on these powerful modern platforms, it creates numerous benefits for the brand itself. Social Media Marketing offers multiple advantages, including:

• Understanding customers better
• Building brand awareness
• Creating conversions

It’s important to note that Social Media Marketing isn’t limited to just major platforms – there are many alternative social media channels brands can choose from. Along with strategic planning, these options can help pave the way for greater brand growth.

Closing Note: We hope this article has helped you better understand Social Media Marketing and how to apply it effectively to your business! 🙂