Though social media is extremely popular among both individuals and businesses, there are still plenty of people who choose to abstain. There are a number of reasons that people have started to turn their backs on websites like Facebook or Twitter. Not only are they addictive, but they have also changed the way we interact with one another and arguably allowed false rhetoric and dangerous propaganda to spread more rapidly. As a result, many business owners and entrepreneurs simply do not want to use social media.
This is a particularly tough decision to make, as social media offers one of the easiest and most effective ways to market a business. Fortunately, if you don’t like social media, you still have plenty of other options. So, in today’s post, we will look at 5 marketing strategies to use if you don’t like social media.
Create Online Ad Campaigns
Businesses don’t have to have a social media account to run ads online. You can reach out to websites individually to buy ad space or even use search engines like Google to place your ads for you. Either way, you have the ability to harness the power and reach of the internet without ever making a post or sending a tweet. Online ads are especially popular and useful because you can specifically target the demographics that you want to reach. For example, let’s say that you run a spa company with multiple locations. You can target your ads to people who have an interest in spa treatments and live within a certain radius of one of your businesses.
Companies employ search engine marketing, or SEM, to increase website traffic through paid online advertising. Pay-per-click (PPC) links are one of the most common SEM techniques. When people search for terms relating to their item or brand, a corporation buys or “sponsors” a link that displays as an ad in search engine results. The corporation pays a tiny charge to the search engine (or other third-party host site) for each visitor who clicks on the ad – a literal “pay per click.”
Reach Out to Celebrities & Influencers Directly
Celebrities and influencers can actually help offer your brand a much-needed boost to visibility. However, many people assume that these people can only be reached using social media. Fortunately, this isn’t the case. Even with big-name celebrities, there are almost always ways to get in touch with representatives via email, phone, or even traditional mail. For example, if you have a business centered on footcare, you might want to reach out to a celebrity or influencer who has issues with their feet (you can learn more about this from the experts at Northwest Surgery Center).
Content marketing
Material marketing entails leveraging — you guessed it — the content you create to engage customers. You establish credibility and trust with potential consumers by delivering valuable material. By providing material that addresses a certain demand, you position yourself as an authoritative source.
Blog posts, social media, podcasts, infographics, videos, tutorials, reviews, lists, ebooks, illustrations, newsletters, and more are all examples of content kinds that your company can provide.
How to Get Started with Content Marketing
Consider the content you’ve previously eaten willingly to evaluate which type of content would be most helpful for your site. What has enthralled, inspired, enlightened, or driven you recently? What were the most accessible and useful formats?
Also, think about your target market; take the time to figure out who your ideal consumers are.
Use Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Word-of-mouth marketing is difficult to control and measure, but it is also one of the most effective methods. Why? Because people are far more willing to engage with a brand if someone they know and trust has recommended it to them. So, all you have to do is get the ball rolling by recommending your business’ products or services to friends, family, acquaintances, and even strangers. Over time, word-of-mouth marketing will likely take on a life of its own. However, it’s important to note that you should probably not rely on word-of-mouth marketing alone. It is far too unpredictable to let you gauge the effects of your efforts. Just as importantly, it can frequently take a long time for this method to actually make a significant impact on your business.
Consider Trade Publication Entries
There are various magazines, newspapers, blogs, and other types of publications for just about every industry in existence. So, regardless of your niche, there is likely a trade publication with an audience of readers who would want to engage with your business. Therefore, if you don’t want to rely on social media, consider paying for ad space or even submitting an article about your business to a relevant trade publication. Not only does this help increase visibility for your brand, but it could also make your brand look more credible (depending on the prestige of the publication). The same principle holds true for many prominent blogs and media outlets. You can submit articles or even pay to have your articles featured by different websites, thereby allowing you to reach a much wider audience.
Develop Your Own Business Website and Blog
Finally, you don’t have to use social media to run a business website or a blog. While many businesses use all three marketing tools in tandem, they can all be used independently of each other. Most businesses can (and should) have some kind of website to allow people to learn more about their products or services. It also makes your business gain credibility simply by being visible online, especially if you plan on having no social media presence. Alternatively, a blog can help you promote your business through relevant articles. These articles will then appear in relevant Google searches (hopefully on the first page of results), driving more and more traffic to your website and blog!