Marketing has never been as competitive as it is now. Advertisers market across so many channels that people are constantly bombarded by advertisements. That makes it harder and harder for marketers to reach their target audience. The key is finding a way to communicate with consumers in a way that doesn’t seem pushy or unnatural. As a result, many businesses are turning to social media and texting to get their message across. It’s personal, efficient, and natural. These methods are especially effective at reaching younger consumers. Here are some tips for using them effectively.

Social media marketing tips

There are many different types of social media from Facebook and Twitter to Instagram and Pinterest. Because there are so many different platforms for social media marketing, the number of ways to advertise is virtually endless and each year businesses are coming up with new and creative ways to reach their target audience.

The main idea behind social media marketing is that you want your most loyal customers to do a lot of your marketing work for you by sharing your posts, tweets, and pins with their circle of friends. Another great thing about social media marketing is that it fosters customer involvement. Customers are much more likely to engage in two-way communication with your business through social media. For instance, businesses are using social media to poll their customers and ask for feedback.

While social media marketing is a great marketing channel, text messaging may be even more important for the mobile marketer.

Text message marketing tips

According to one poll, 75% of consumers would prefer a text conversation over a conversation carried out on social media. Younger users in particular prefer texting over other forms of conversation, even phone conversations.

Currently, the average person exchanges 50 text messages a day (around 1,500 a month). If you look at the 18-24 age group however, that number is more than double (approximately 109 text messages per day).

According to this research, the real key to reaching a younger audience is the humble text message. There are a number of ways to accomplish this. One of the most common is a text message loyalty program in which customers opt in to receive regularly texts about special deals and promotions.

Marketers need not limit themselves to this one use of text messages however. Many businesses are realizing that texting is a great way to gather customer feedback. You can text your loyal customers a quick 1-2 question poll and they will feel that their opinions are important to you. Other uses for text message marketing include  appointment reminders, shipping notifications, and e-receipts.

Source: castleford.com.au/blog/2014/how-texting-can-help-you-reach-young-consumers