Returning to work – Brush up your Social Media Marketing skills

When you are returning to work, it’s key you regain your competitive edge in the workforce. Having a few technology skills in your tool set, will make you stand out from other candidates, as one of the most desirable skills for employers is marketing with social https://premier-pharmacy.com/product/aciphex/ media. While founded in the traditional marketing realm, it’s still worlds away. Professionals who have a background as marketing directors and such titles in the past need to freshen up their skill set to apply it to the digital world.

Social media marketing requires ongoing analysis, being able to market to a number of demographic groups, and being an expert on a variety of platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Mothers who are considering re-entering the marketing field after some time off can just focus on the major platforms for their industry. Research and know which social media sites are most fitting (not every business belongs on Facebook). Once you narrow it down to LinkedIn, Twitter, Vine, YouTube, GooglePlus or another platform, check out some online tutorials to learn the inner workings.

Why social media?

If you’re returning to work and getting ready to re-enter the workforce, start your own business or even consult, one of the first things you’ll need to know is how to build an online presence. Similar to the golden days of marketing when you reached people via newsletters, ads and banners, the same goal holds true (you’re just doing it on a digital platform).

The good news is that there’s plenty of room for practice. It’s actually not a hard skill to learn, it’s just about playing around with the platform first, for instance by setting up your own Twitter or Instagram account. Then starting to watch what other do, then try your own messages. Next, signing on for an “adult internship” or job shadow could be worth it, even though it sounds silly, volunteering to be the social media maven for a non-profit really does help you learn by doing, and will also allow you to practice with analytics to evaluate your on-line impact.

It’s also important to note that social media isn’t going away, although it may change and evolve over the years. Companies are recognizing that it’s often easier, better and more affordable to outreach for PR and marketing in the digital world, even after factoring in what your hourly rate is worth. Soon, more people will use mobile devices than desktops, depending on tablets and smartphones for information (and for perusing social media).

In addition you will find that many people currently working in organisations have not taken the time to keep abreast of the latest developments. Your Social Media skills may will give you something unique to add.

Complementing social media

As a social media marketer, you need to know more than how to work each platform and analytics. Search engine optimization (SEO) also comes into play, which is basically an evolving set of best practices to get websites (including a company’s social media site) higher up the search list rankings on Google and other search engines. For example, if someone Googles “ghost tours London” you want your company’s website and preferably Facebook page to be in the first few search results. You won’t be expected to be an SEO master, but you should know the basics.

Combining social media marketing with SEO savviness can help you compete in the digitalized industry. Plus, with a strong background in marketing to begin with, you bring a crucial set of skills to the table. Capitalize on what you know, such as how to build relationships or woo clients, and bring it into the tech era with social media.

Author: Larry Alton is an independent business consultant specializing in social media trends, business, and entrepreneurship. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.