Expand your business marketing efforts beyond social media
I’ve had this topic written down as a potential blog post idea for quite some time now. After the recent global Meta outage though, I was reminded just how important it is for business owners to expand their marketing efforts beyond social media (and so I finally got to writing).
The reality is, we simply don’t have control over our social media platforms. We certainly can’t control how our posts are pushed out by the platform, or how many people see our posts (especially, it seems, with the ever-changing Instagram algorithm). And although in theory we can control what we post and when we post – even these freedoms aren’t guaranteed.
There are community guidelines you have to follow, content and accounts are incorrectly flagged and removed all the time, and there’s nothing you can do if the applications are having technical difficulties like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads experienced the other day (all applications connected through the Metaverse).
Granted, most of the community guidelines have been established to protect the platforms from hate speech, graphic violence, and spam (whether they’re really effective or not is a different conversation).
And, social media platform outages don’t happen regularly – the owners of these platforms want you to use them and are generally quick to troubleshoot and resolve any technical difficulties that do occur.
However, the issue still remains that users have a lack of control over these online platforms.
Technical issues aside, changes to algorithms, to ownership, or to guidelines and rules might force you to adapt your marketing strategy, or abandon it altogether.
In fact, if you’ve read my previous blog posts, you likely already know that the changes Elon Musk made to Twitter (or rather, “X”), caused me to leave the platform (based on my personal values and beliefs) even though I used to be an avid Twitter user.
All this to say, you can’t solely rely on social media to market and grow your business.
You aren’t in control of the platforms and they can go away or change, at any time, for any reason, without any warning, and with zero recourse.
So, let's talk about some additional strategies you can implement into your business in an effort to diversify your marketing efforts beyond social media, your website, and/or email marketing.
And as a bonus? You have greater control over how these initiatives work for your business.
Word of mouth
Word-of-mouth marketing is a powerful and often underrated form of marketing. I’ve written an entire blog post on the topic, but the CliffsNotes version is that if you’re able to create a positive experience for your clients or customers that’s worth talking about, you’ve created free advertising for yourself.
Word-of-mouth marketing describes when a customer shares a product or service with those in their social circle – whether that’s talking to a friend on the phone, writing a favourable testimonial online, or posting on social media.
To encourage more buzz about your brand, consider asking more often for feedback or reviews, creating a referral or ambassador program, or brainstorming ways you can go above and beyond for your clients and customers so they’re excited to talk about their experience.
Networking
Networking is the process of interacting with other people to exchange information and expand your connections.
Growing your personal and professional network by joining business groups, attending events, or proactively reaching out to people on social media doesn’t only benefit you personally (helping you to feel more supported and less alone), it’s also a great marketing tool.
Networking tends to be one-on-one or in small groups, which means it’s a great opportunity to learn from others, and develop deeper, more personal relationships.
Whether you end up meeting a potential client, someone who is a few steps ahead of you who can offer you some guidance or support, or someone in a similar position to you who would make a great collaboration partner, you’re expanding your number of contacts as well as the number of opportunities you have to share about your business.
When nurtured effectively over time, your network can help increase numbers of referrals, positive word-of mouth, and brand awareness.
Directory listings
These listings might include information such as your company address, phone number, website, photos, customer reviews, and/or booking information.
Setting up accounts for relevant online directories allows you to expand your digital footprint – gaining credibility within the eyes of search engines like Google, and allowing more potential customers to discover you.
Consider your own online habits. When you’re deciding whether or not to eat at a restaurant, what’s the first thing you do? Most likely, you do a quick Google search to see their star rating, recent reviews, company hours, address, and/or menu.
You need to be similarly prepared when people are searching for you – or at least for your services.
Directories like Yelp, the (digital) Yellow Pages, Better Business Bureau, Foursquare or Google (explored more below), compile relevant results for consumers and give you a multitude of opportunities to promote your business.
Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is a specific type of directory, but I’ve singled it out here because of its importance.
This is the sidebar that appears along the right hand side of a Google search when you look up a business name, or location-specific queries like, “grocery stores near me.”
Businesses only show up in that sidebar when they have set-up and verified their profile. Here’s a guide on how to do just that, from Semrush.
Your Google Business Profile displays your business name, a brief description, recent reviews or ratings, your hours, contact information, and your address, as well as allowing you to showcase photos and any other relevant links (like your website and social media accounts).
This tool is 100% free and will support you in increasing your visibility on Google, gaining credibility (especially as you accumulate reviews), and sharing relevant information with your customers.
In order to ensure this tool is effective though, you need to confirm that the information on your profile is accurate. Otherwise you’ll only end up frustrating customers.
Appearances in podcasts
Whether you already have your own podcast or not, being a guest on other creator’s podcasts is a great way to market yourself and your business, assuming the show is aligned with you and your business goals.
Whenever you collaborate with another business owner you’re opening yourself up to a new audience full of potential new customers.
With podcasts specifically, this marketing comes at no cost (other than your time), and involves relatively low production and preparation (podcasts aren’t about being perfectly polished or having the best lighting, they’re about sharing who you are and what you’re passionate about).
Plus, because podcasting is longer form content with less editing and a more personal feel, it’s often easier to build a sense of trust, intimacy, and authenticity with the listeners.
Other benefits of appearing as a podcast guest include:
The opportunity to increase your credibility. You’re appearing as a guest which means the host (who has likely already developed trust with their audience) trusts you to share your message on their platform. This positions you as an expert and means the audience will likely be more receptive to what you have to say.
The ability to improve your website SEO. Ask the host to include your website and contact details in the podcast episode notes they upload! This helps your site to build credibility and is likely to increase your website traffic.
Podcasts offer additional content opportunities. When your episode goes live, don’t miss out on the opportunity to share about it on other platforms. Write a follow-up blog or promote the episode in your social media content.
Guest blog post submissions
Guest blogging involves preparing content to be posted on the blog of a website other than your own.
Here are some of my favourite perks of this form of marketing:
Pitching yourself to other blogs is a great way to expand your network and connect with other business owners who may be able to play a supportive role in your journey.
Within the blog post, you can link back to your own website or social media, encouraging people to connect with you further if they desire, and expanding your audience.
Linking to your own website within the post also helps you in accumulating backlinks to your website – increasing the credibility of your website within the eyes of Google.
If you’re intentional about who you reach out to, the blog post will open you up to an entirely new audience of quality referrals.
To ensure this is an effective strategy for you:
Deliver value and showcase your expertise within the blog post so that people are intrigued and want to connect with you further.
Pitch yourself to websites or businesses that make sense – look for people who have a similar audience as you, but who have a different area of expertise (that way your content and expertise can support their audience in ways they might not be able to).
Link back to your website organically within the post.
Be consistent. Commit to pitching yourself to a certain number of companies each month so that you have a higher chance of increasing your exposure.
Direct mail
Direct mail includes any physical correspondence you send to customers. It needs to include something identifying you as the brand or business who sent it, a call-to-action, and a way to get in touch.
This might include flyers, catalogs, letters, or gifts – anything that reminds potential customers of your company and the solutions you offer.
Although this can be a more costly and time-consuming advertising initiative (not to mention the fact that it feels a little outdated), it can deliver great results depending on your business model and client-base.
Direct mail increases brand awareness, allows you to connect with your audience on a personal level, and tends to have a significant ROI.
Get creative! What would make your direct mail stand out in comparison to any other letters or packages your target market is receiving? A certain discount? Specific colours?
Like any other marketing initiative, direct mail needs to be created strategically for it to have the impact you desire.
Don’t abandon your online marketing efforts
As with any investment, the old adage applies: putting all your eggs in one basket is risky.
This post isn’t to encourage you to ghost your email list, delete your website, or ditch your social media strategy – especially if these efforts are giving you exposure, providing you quality leads, or helping you achieve related marketing and business goals.
(Side note: if they’re not helping you achieve your goals, it’s likely time for a strategy refresh).
The intention behind my writing this post is to encourage you to diversify your marketing efforts:
Avoid dependency on just one marketing channel
Use a mix of both traditional and online forms of marketing
Get to know the different segments of your audience so you can target content and choose new marketing tactics effectively
Collect data from your audience (for example an email or phone number) so that you have more than one way to reach and connect with them
Expand your reach by testing out new platforms, strategies, and content types
Track your data so you can optimize on the 2-3 marketing efforts that are bringing you quality leads
Stay flexible and know when to pivot or adapt
Not only will this approach protect you in the event of a social media outage, it will support you in reaching a wider audience, building trust, and encouraging more conversions.