Success with social media: These are the channels you should know about

Social networking is by no means a new marketing tool anymore, but there are still companies that only make limited use of the powerful digital toolbox. They certainly have good reasons for this, because as the word “networking” already suggests, it is an ongoing marketing process that permanently ties up resources. So at first it seems a gamble to invest time and money in a hitherto unused process that may not even bring the desired success. But if you put together exactly the right range of digital channels, you can expect positive surprises!

Source: flickr.com

Facebook: No one who deals with social media can avoid the blue giant. With the help of your own Facebook page, you can get in touch with your customers and their circles of friends in the shortest possible way, transmit information promptly and also have the option of including photos, videos and homepage links. The important thing here is to take feedback seriously, respond to enquiries promptly and always remain friendly – even if the comments turn out to be a bit more rude. The same applies to this platform as to all other channels: don’t be too promotional, but rather factual, informative and humorous.

Twitter: The short message service leaves little space for your messages, so they should always be well thought out. With the help of so-called hashtags – keywords that are marked with a #hash – you make your central topics recognizable and can thus be found much better in the flood of data. Meaningful images that catch the eye are also worthwhile to attract attention. If you share the relevant news of other users with your own account, you can expect to be retweeted yourself.

Flickr: The picture service is worthwhile as a supplement to other channels, here the visuals speak for themselves. The platform is very easy to use and costs just like the first mentioned services nothing at all, except your time. But since you don’t have to formulate any verbal messages here, this is also kept within limits. Numerous companies distribute their press images via Flickr, the reach is simply higher than on their own homepage. Flickr postings show up preferentially in Google’s image search and thus draw the eyes of Internet users to your company.

Twitch: This platform is considered a real magnet for gaming fans, here everyone can broadcast their own gameplay live on the Internet. Especially the big hits like “World of Warcraft” and “League of Legends” enjoy a lot of attention, but also little-known games are in the spotlight again and again. The successful launch of a new video channel on the topic of poker proves that e-sports have also long since become the hobbyhorse of Twitch users: Companies that offer products on these topics or develop promotional mini-games will find their audience here.

Pinterest: The digital pinboard has grown into a massive image collection in recent years, with the photos each arranged in an associated user stream. Of course, the aim on this platform is again to attract as much attention as possible; the shared photos should therefore arouse desires and encourage communication. There is no way around professional images to stand out from the crowd and leave a lasting impression. Publish your products in a meaningful way and in a good light, including an inserted purchase link or with a redirection to your company homepage.

Youtube: Let’s end this list with another giant of online business, the video platform Youtube. Companies that maintain their own channel here can also easily integrate their published films into Facebook and other social networks: a practical tool to get things moving! This means you no longer need a company-owned, expensive video-capable server. If you rarely have suitable video material available, then simply fill up your stream by sharing relevant films from other users – and perhaps sprinkle in one or two thematically related humorous interludes in between.

You can measure the digital influence of your company via the marketing tool Kloud Score: The service uses more than 400 different signals from eight different social networks to calculate your current Kloud Score day by day. The main focus is on the reactions to your shared content, because the more intense the response to your postings, the greater your influence. With this tool at your fingertips, you can set very specific goals – and work towards achieving them.