If you could have one super power, which would you choose?
Without hesitation, I’d choose the ability to read people’s minds, though I must admit that social media eliminates the need to be super because I can easily search someone’s innermost thoughts (if s/he posts them) without having to surgically insert a microchip into his/her brain. I can not only read other’s opinions on the latest election, I can track which topics they interact with the most. Did she recently search for a new pair of Calvin Klein shoes? Would she be interested in buying a matching dress? Marketing analysts use these social media tools to monitor past consumer behavior patterns and predict future sales. Are you implementing this technique to increase your own sales? Should you be? Could you be?
Having the power to know who is talking about you and your practice is a useful tool, especially if it allows you to analyze whether you’re effectively marketing to your potential clients. Social media provides feedback directly from your audience. How exactly did your newest client find your website? Did he make an appointment that day? Or did he cancel his appointment after he started to schedule it? If he chose not to pursue the appointment today, do you have a system in place to secure his appointment the next time around? Have you implemented targeted advertisements which increase the chance he’ll buy your services another day?
There are many tools at your disposal which allow you to see who is interested in your services and where s/he is shopping services. By creating informed business strategies online, you effectively increase your targeted reach. Let’s explore a few of these tools in depth and you can decide which will most effectively work for you.
Google Alerts
What if I told you that you could not only read people’s minds, but receive a notification every time your name is mentioned? With Google Alerts, you’ll be notified when others mention you or your services in real time. This feature sends you an email each and every time you or your practice is mentioned. In theory, you’d eliminate the need for those old wives’ tales which may (or may not) alert you of interested consumers. And we both know that burning ears are completely unreliable.
Have you noticed that once a celebrity announces his divorce, a string of celebrity-focused websites immediately blog about it? These topics tend not to trend or stay relevant for long, so you’ll want to be notified as soon as they emerge.
I always recommend that professionals publish written work on topics in which they are expert and that are SEO-worthy, as these are. If you write your blog while the topic is still relevant, you increase your chances of showing up in another’s search results. Others using Google Alerts are also notified when you publish your blog, depending on your established reach with such markets.
Talkwalker
Talkwalker is a powerful tool which monitors others’ engagement with your brand online and on social media. Using analytics to monitor raw data, Talkwalker reports the extent to which others are talking about you, and which time of day is best for social media interaction. This collection of raw data, available to you with the touch of a finger, allows you to customize your marketing strategy for each and every potential client. What could be better than that?
Do you have a higher engagement with Instagram than with blogs? You may very well find greater success when marketing with images. Talkwalker utilizes an image recognition software to track your brand’s online mentions. After sitting in the Starbucks drive-thru this morning, did you post a photo of your iced caramel macchiato? If you did, Talkwalker probably recognized the mention and alerted Starbucks. I’d be willing to bet that the coffee powerhouse, now having learned of your morning routine and, dare I say, addiction, advertises its latest beverage all over your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, you name it!
Are you ready to take your practice to the next step and match the marketing strategies of powerful companies like Starbucks?
Social Mention
Social Mention is an online tracker that allows you to search any term and its relevant postings, including other social media sources and websites, in real time. Use this to search your own practice’s mentions and relevant postings. See what others are saying about your services, both positive and negative, on websites that you may not have thought to search for before. This tool also includes a feature that provides a greater understanding of those who search for your services, which you can then use when tailoring your online profile to increase your clientele.
Additionally, Social Mention tracks the reach of the searched term and how many people are searching for it. For example, I searched for my favorite superhero, Iron Man. Social Mention reported that the average user spends three minutes searching for Iron Man content, that he was last mentioned three minutes ago, and that most users have a neutral association with Iron Man. It also reported Iron Man’s other key searched terms: Baby Yoda, Captain, and Mandalorian. If you’re a nerd like me, you know why these terms are relevant, but, if you are not, place your faith in my superhero obsession, I won’t let you down! After all, “If we can’t protect the earth, we’ll avenge it!”
So what’s the purpose of these keywords? Well, the results suggest that others are on the hunt for the latest Iron Man meme or are searching for other superhero content. Because Mandalorian is streaming on Disney+, I know that some users searching for Iron Man are likely to have purchased a Disney+ subscription. If I were a network professional, this information could prove very useful when developing future marketing strategies.
How might Social Mention prove useful for your practice?
Interact With Your Audience
In its various forms, artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted my own marketing approaches. I rely on AI data to review client-service interactions, which I then use to determine the most appropriate method for reaching my targeted audience. Although I appreciate this life-changing technology, I always keep in mind that my clients are human. And, inherently, an AI software may neglect to account for that crucial aspect. Testimonials and reviews most accurately depict your client’s experience(s), so be sure to request them often.
Once you’ve received a testimonial, review, or social media comment/mention, be sure to engage with your client’s interaction. If you neglect audience engagement, you forgo the opportunity to stay top of mind. In this day and age, relevancy is crucial to maintaining successful business operations. We’ve far surpassed the time when word-of-mouth alone made for potential clientele. Be sure to respond to testimonials, reviews, and social media interactions so that your practice remains top of mind and so that you’re more likely to increase sales.
Once you earn your audience’s attention, it’s important to make the most of it. If you’re interested in increasing your targeted audience or would like more information on how you can become a marketing expert, visit my website or email me at Joryn@JorynJenkins.com. I’d love to help because. . . your marketing is my marketing!
