Social media marketing is the process of promoting your site or business through social media channels. It is a powerful strategy that can get you links, attention and increased traffic.
There is no other low-cost promotional method out there that can easily give you large numbers of visitors, some of whom may come back to your website again and again.
Whether you are selling products/services or just publishing content for ad revenue, social media marketing is a potent method that can help your business be more profitable.
But, how should Social Media be designed to gain the best possible result and bring in the masses? The following area outlines some of my thoughts on best design practices for your Social Media pages:
1. First Impression
The first impression of any visitor, regardless of how they arrive at your site, will be heavily influenced by its appearance. Generally, opinions are formed in a matter of seconds, not minutes, so creating a positive impression is critical.
The first impression of any visitor, regardless of how they arrive at your site, will be heavily influenced by its appearance. Generally, opinions are formed in a matter of seconds, not minutes, so creating a positive impression is critical.
Obviously, when it comes to social media, first impressions can help you or hurt you. Try to evaluate your site from the perspective of a first-time visitor that is arriving from social media. Does it reinforce your brand position? Would the page increase the chances of getting your vote, or would it make you want to leave and visit another site? Pictures and images can often help with creating first impressions.
2. Page Load Time
Because most social media users are multi-tasking, and because they have hundreds of other pages to visit, page load time becomes even more of a factor. If you plan to market heavily with social media, it’s a good idea to design your site to load as quickly as possible.
Because most social media users are multi-tasking, and because they have hundreds of other pages to visit, page load time becomes even more of a factor. If you plan to market heavily with social media, it’s a good idea to design your site to load as quickly as possible.
3. Readability of Content
If social media users are voting for content that they like, they need to be able to read the content quickly and easily. Most visitors that come from social media will be scanning the page rather than reading word-for-word, so make it easy on them by using short paragraphs, plenty of whitespace, bulleted lists, bold text, etc.
If social media users are voting for content that they like, they need to be able to read the content quickly and easily. Most visitors that come from social media will be scanning the page rather than reading word-for-word, so make it easy on them by using short paragraphs, plenty of whitespace, bulleted lists, bold text, etc.
4. Emphasis of Content
If you hope to impress social media consumers with your content, make sure it is at the top and to the left where eyes tend to look first. Also, there are distractions in the design that can take emphasis away from the content. Keep non-content items, like advertisements, to the bottom of the page so readers focus on your content.
If you hope to impress social media consumers with your content, make sure it is at the top and to the left where eyes tend to look first. Also, there are distractions in the design that can take emphasis away from the content. Keep non-content items, like advertisements, to the bottom of the page so readers focus on your content.
5. Implementation of Buttons/Widgets into the Design
Most social media sites provide buttons, widgets or links that you can use on your site to encourage visitors to share. These can be very helpful, especially if they are effectively incorporated into the design. When designing with these in mind, you’ll want them to be located where they will be noticed, but not in the way.
Most social media sites provide buttons, widgets or links that you can use on your site to encourage visitors to share. These can be very helpful, especially if they are effectively incorporated into the design. When designing with these in mind, you’ll want them to be located where they will be noticed, but not in the way.
6. Branding
If you are marketing your site through social media on an ongoing basis, your branding will be impacted as more and more social media users are exposed to your site. Consider how the design of your site allows you to brand yourself in a way that will make an impact with social media users.
If you are marketing your site through social media on an ongoing basis, your branding will be impacted as more and more social media users are exposed to your site. Consider how the design of your site allows you to brand yourself in a way that will make an impact with social media users.
7. Navigation
Typically, social media traffic will average a low number of page views. You can improve this by using effective navigation that leads visitors to other content that they will likely find interesting. From my experience, the most effective way to encourage social media visitors to look at other pages is to include internal links within the body of the content. With this strategy, you may be able to increase the amount of traffic that older posts receive.
Typically, social media traffic will average a low number of page views. You can improve this by using effective navigation that leads visitors to other content that they will likely find interesting. From my experience, the most effective way to encourage social media visitors to look at other pages is to include internal links within the body of the content. With this strategy, you may be able to increase the amount of traffic that older posts receive.
8. Subscribers, Friends and Followers
If you are attempting to gain subscribers through social media marketing, be sure to design your pages so that your subscription options are clear and easy to see. Typically, you will want to keep them high on the page so they are noticed right away, and you may want to use standard icons that are easily recognized by potential subscribers.
For information on how DMC Advertising can help you get up to speed on integrating Social Media into your marketing communications mix, please click: www.dmcadvertising.com
If you are attempting to gain subscribers through social media marketing, be sure to design your pages so that your subscription options are clear and easy to see. Typically, you will want to keep them high on the page so they are noticed right away, and you may want to use standard icons that are easily recognized by potential subscribers.
