Social media is slowly taking over the marketing world, and brands like Facebook and Instagram are adopting a variety of new marketing features. In fact, it’s almost to the point where companies could do all of their marketing through social media. This is one of many reasons why merging social media with your website is so important.
If you haven’t made the connection yet, here are some ways to marry social media and your website for increased conversions and profits.
- Offer Social Login
Social login is a convenience that customers greatly appreciate and companies can use to their advantage. Wary customers prefer not to create a new login with their email and password for fear of being bombarded by emails. Signing in with social media is extremely easy, and 73 percent of users prefer this form of login.
For companies, gaining access to a customer’s social profile provides a wealth of data that you can’t access through a simple email address. You can collect information about customer personas that can be very useful for generating leads and conversions.
- Use Instagram Photos and Galleries
PeerBoost, a website that provides software for automating activities on Instagram, explains that “Aside from sharing the latest products and announcements, a company Instagram account can be utilized to display live-feed photo testimonials on your site. It shows consumers’ satisfaction with your business, which goes a long way for convincing other users of the authenticity of your product.”
- Create Custom Social Buttons
Linking your site to your social profiles is the simplest way to use social media. To put more care into the process, create custom social media buttons for your website that match your site’s theme. This helps increase brand awareness and encourages clicks.
- Make the Buttons Visible
After you’ve created the buttons, make them easy to see. Typically, users have come to expect social buttons along the sides, top, or bottom of a site. If the placement isn’t familiar to consumers, it can disorient them and decrease impulse interactions.
Additionally, make sure the buttons don’t get in the way of anything on your page. It’s frustrating to readers when the content is obscured by social buttons, and it can also detract from the functionality of your site.
- Develop Videos
Videos have become one of the most shared forms of media on the web. This is great for marketers because it makes it easy to integrate social media into your website. Any time you create a video, you can post it to your website and/or social media, and link them together.
- Show Social Proof
Word of mouth marketing will be your most powerful website tool when it comes to conversions, and social proof is a form of that. Studies show that 79 percent of consumers trust social proof as much as personal recommendations. On your website, use Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram widgets in your side bar to show the legitimacy and popularity of your brand.
- Add Share Buttons on Your Blog
One of the best ways to increase esteem on your blog is to add social sharing buttons. When a reader enjoys your content, they’re much more likely to share the piece if it only takes one click to do so. Going through several steps to share a single post becomes discouraging to readers, and they’ll likely abandon the prospect altogether.
These tips are great for getting you started on social media integration, but it’s important to recognize the dynamic element of social media. It’s vital to watch new developments and perform those that can be of benefit for your company when the opportunity arises.