An increasing number of tech-savvy enterprises are using Twitter updates and corporate blogs to launch their new media strategy to let customers learn about new launches as well as address their concerns. Such forays are helping companies to win the customer confidence and grow their business.

According to studies done regarding this, the move enhances the company’s reputation and improves the brand perception. Social Media Optimization is aimed at bettering product awareness and overall brand image to generate viral publicity and goodwill. It incorporates social news-bookmarking websites, RSS feeds, video as well as blogging sites and review forums. Quite similar to Search Engine Optimization, SMO includes interesting campaigns with a noticeable social media extension.

An ‘always on’ approach works

To be successful, it is important to be consistent. In other word, social media marketing is all about having ‘always on’ approach. To illustrate the point, here is an example. Take the case of TGI Friday’s successful cross-channel campaign that met its goal of securing 500,000 fans of the popular fictional character, Woody. The Facebook campaign built a fan base of 1 million people.

However, once the goal was attained, the campaign was closed and the page was deleted without the fans actually converting to the official Facebook page. TGI Friday’s lost the entire social capital and goodwill it had generated over the course of the fruitful campaign.
Sustain the users’ interest

In essence, the involvement in social media initiatives should carry no fixed deadlines. It must be an ongoing exercise. These interactions may take some amount of time to produce tangible results. The key is to be patient.
Here are some quick tips to be successful on social media:
Use a stream of data available to analyze your target customer demographics.
Identify your core goals before you start off.
Be clear about your strategy
Direct your efforts in a focuses manner.
Show your brand’s personality in your campaign.

Remember, users are not just going to flock to any social media site overnight. It will take a while for the meaningful connections to be put in place and strengthen. The process is more about the network effect that takes time to unveil itself.

On the one hand, you should try to develop a loyal following as an expert or thought leader in the domain. On the other hand, you should build the site as the preferred avenue for purchasing that particular service or product. Striking this fine balance holds the key.

This is where your communication skills come into play. Try to maintain a subtle user-friendly tone. Don’t be direct seller. It will not be appreciated by users and will have a negative impact. At their core, such initiatives are about carefully building and nurturing customer relationships on a long-term basis.