The Advantages of Using Social MediaSocial media outreach is an essential component of a marketing strategy for many brands. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and many others offer an accessible way for brands to reach their audience. What are some of the advantages of using social media? Let’s explore!
 
It’s a Direct Connection to a Wider Audience
Popular social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram have many Monthly Active Users (MAUs). Facebook alone has 2.9 billion MAUs, so it is usually the first social platform brands turn to. This can work to a brand’s advantage, getting as many eyes on your products and services as possible. Furthermore, it offers a direct connection that serves an audience’s curiosity and makes them more familiar with products and services.
 
Influencer Marketing and Paid Ads Are More Affordable
Influencer marketing and paid advertising offer brands a more economical approach to reaching said audience. You don’t need a big celebrity; a micro-influencer with a large following of your target audience will do the trick. It’s a great way for newer brands to make their name known. Not sure where to find an influencer relevant to your brand? Check out some of the top influencer marketing platforms like Upfluence, Grin and CreatorIQ and filter for your niche. Paid ads can also be tailored to slide into the social feeds and generate loyal followers who may eventually hit that “buy” button.
 
Social Media Points Increases Shop Page and Website Visitors
With a community of followers, a brand can alert them of promotions, sales and other offerings that lead them to a website and more importantly, a shop page! Whether the brand sells home decor or fine jewelry, a captivating image of the latest products can entice followers to pay a visit to a site, driving traffic and generating sales.
 
Pitfalls to AvoidWith all the advantages that social media has to offer to grow a brand, it’s still a good idea to know what kind of pitfalls to avoid. Here are a few snags and snafus that can trip up a well-meaning social media marketing plan.
 
Not Researching Your Target Audience
Yes, one major advantage of social media is that a brand can reach a wider audience with multiple accounts. Still, you have to start somewhere. If you ignore data-driven details and metrics that help define your target audience, all your social media posts will fail to capture the attention of those that matter – your customers and clients! So, learn how to make your brand appeal to your audience from the get-go.
 
Being on Every Social Media Platform
New social media platforms are popping up practically every year: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and the latest Snapchat and TikTok, among a few. If it seems overwhelming, you’re not wrong. But there’s an easy solution. Instead of trying to blanket them all and stretching the marketing department too thin, focus on the social media platforms that your target audience uses most. For example, Pinterest offers interior designers and homeowners a way to pin furniture and decor. Also, remember to align the style and tone of voice to the platform. For example, LinkedIn readers will appreciate a more professional angle.
 
Becoming Over-Reliant on Automation
Once your brand markets itself to its target audience, don’t forget to connect with followers on a more personal level. Automation offers a modern convenience of posting consistently, but real engagement begins when a brand replies to comments and answers questions, even under an influencer’s social media post. So hop into the brand accounts – on a weekly basis at least – to get involved with your followers and build that trust factor.

Discover the Best Social Platform for Your Brand TodayTake advantage of everything social media has to offer. Join a social media platform – or two or three – and begin promoting your brand today. Research your target audience or simply learn more details on who that audience truly is. Just remember to avoid some of the common pitfalls mentioned above and align your message and tone to fit your brand. 

From committing to a labor-intensive ecommerce biz, to choosing a product niche, to putting your ducks in a row and making sure you’re set to offer quality merchandise in a consistent fashion, there’s a big consideration that often stumps even the most prepared online sellers – and you must have it settled before day one of formal operations.

What is your name?
The art and science of choosing a business name can be an arduous process. And it’s deceptively, well, not easy. This is arguably the most important decision you’ll make as an ecommerce merchant. The considerations seem endless: first, once you pick one, you’re stuck with it. Second, it embodies your entire business, becoming a brand identity.

If you’re fortunate enough, you could fall into an obvious win. The footwear retailer Shoebacca hit the jackpot with a moniker that’s clever, relevant, and just plain fun. Sales psychology is clear on the relationship between commerce and branding, so think carefully before you self-identify.
Want some help? Asking friends and potential customers is always a plus. But so is consulting with experts – though that can be mind-numblingly expensive. There’s another option out there, and it’s a cool way to get started. Sites like Businessnamemaker will auto-generate suggestions based on keywords entered into their search window. There’s no telling whether it will come up with something fabulous, but it’s worth a try. NameSnack offers the same service, and surely there are several others. It features not only a search bar, but a list of possibilities.
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This cheeky site suggests a naming contest, possibly a great idea if you have access to a sufficient pool of participants who bridge the gap between niche obsession and creativity. Worthstart has already compiled a list of not-too-shabby business names, offering a headstart. Even if none pops out as a clear choice, merely reading the list may spark an idea of your own.

It goes without saying that there are factors to consider when self-branding, and not the least of which is near-replication. If you inch too close to an existing business name, you risk a loss of sales due to confusion at best. At worst, you may receive a cease-and-desist letter from the entity with a similar name. Having to start from scratch carries a litany of problems.

Other considerations for selecting the perfect name include:

• Avoiding those that are far removed from your product niche and are too obscure.
• Striving for easily remembered names that will convert to future purchases and/or searches.
• Choosing a name that engenders positive feelings and a psychological boost based on the mix of cleverness and familiarity.
• Names that are such a hit that they will turn into frequent referrals between existing customers and their friends and family.

 
Nothing replaces quality merchandise and excellent service. Make that a priority. But your brand name, if it’s fitting and fun, will help you retain creative juices as you expand with marketing materials and tailored graphic imaging.
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Choose wisely, and you just might become a household name.

Every ecommerce vendor has a fantasy of standing out among the competition. And why not? Name recognition gains new customers and retains current customers, if you play your cards right. The way to rise above the crowd comes down to the ability to provide excellent products and service or services. It also comes down to a concept known by entities for a very long time: branding.

Brand Management involves personalizing your business with an aspect of familiarity that makes you recognizable, attractive, approachable. Marketing experts call it a way to translate emotions into behavior on the part of consumers. To get there, you have to do the heavy lifting first.
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Consider large companies we all know well. Apple Computer. REI. Microsoft. Nike. IBM. Uber. All of these mega-corporations have packaged customized imaging, slogans, philosophies, and outreach through advertising that requires little attention to know whom it’s coming from.
Branding occurs with a consistent presence through all of your correspondence, advertisements, web page design, and everything connected with your business. When you have it down right, your path is practically obstacle-free. When you don’t, you’re left vying with countless others.