Top 6 Social Media Marketing Goals

To begin an effective social media marketing campaign, you need to set some achievable goals.  And you have to know what you’re aiming for in order to know if you’re hitting the mark, right?  So, here’s some common goals for social media marketing:

1. Increased Brand Awareness.  Creating brand awareness is one of the most common social media goals and an important step in marketing a new product or service.  Social media can be used to spread the word about your new product or service offering, and improve public perception of your brand.
2. Reputation Management.  Ensure that your brand is not being bashed, but in the most favorable light as possible.  One negative review or comment could be enough to be disqualified from an opportunity.  
3. Engagement.  Creating a dialog between you and your audience that is engaging while staying top of mind is key.  
4. Improved Search Engine Rankings.  Social media can improve your natural search engine ranking building brand awareness and support multiple brand exposures.
5. Increased Relevant Visitor Traffic.  Engaged visitors that are familiar with or know your brand are generally more valuable that those that are not. 
6. Improved online conversion performance.  Whether your website conversion is defined as a lead, transaction or new account, social media can contribute to improved conversion performance.

Giving chocolate to others is an intimate form of communication, a sharing of deep, dark secrets.

Consider the difference between a box of Godiva chocolates and a Mars bar. Both are chocolate, right?
If you invite me to dinner at your home and I show up with a box of Godiva chocolates, you are likely to be very happy you invited me. If I show up with a Mars bar; you might not invite me back. What’s the difference?
Remember, they are both chocolate. Right? Actually no. A Mars bar is an ‘everyday’ treat, while a box of Godiva chocolates is a selection of ‘premium’ handmade chocolates. A Mars bar tells the recipient I’m cheap. The box of Godiva tells the recipient I’m very happy to be there, and that they are worth ‘the best’ I can give. So how do Godiva communicate all this?