As today’s online audience continues to grow, companies understand the advantages of linking their corporate website to their corresponding social media profiles on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more. Providing ready online access to the entirety of a company’s social media universe tends to increase user following, improve the user-experience, and foster brand loyalty.
Historically, online retailers have placed their social media icons near the bottom of their respective homepages. Today, however, web designers now recommend that corporate social media icons should be included at eye-level within the website header. For e-commerce sites, placement in the upper right–hand section adjacent to the search button and the shopping cart icon is recommended.
The essential component underlying any corporate website and corresponding social media platforms is securing a positive user experience. Effective SEO management techniques, coupled with site navigation aids and smart content and imagery go a long way toward creating a positive user-experience. Sites which simplify the sharing of content across social media platforms increase the likelihood that users will do just that. Making it easy for users to like and share brand content across platforms is yet another means by which companies can transform random online visitors into loyal paying customers.
When online users like and share website content on social platforms, they essentially endorse the brand to their followers, many of whom may not have had prior interest in the brand. This kind of digital “word of mouth” represents the sort of visibility that most companies can ill afford to ignore.
In addition to the broad exposure garnered through social media sharing, brand marketing campaigns are also taking advantage of social media platforms to appeal to specific audiences. Through the use of targeted content and imagery, savvy social media customers often share content directly to their friends and family in lieu of posting on a social media site. Some studies have shown that direct messaging to friends, family and coworkers is more popular than networking across social media platforms. Facilitating the direct sharing and messaging of corporate messaging through website content and imagery optimization is another means by which online retailers can profit from the integration of social media with corporate marketing and sales efforts.
If you’d like to learn more about how social sharing can support your marketing strategy, call Proctor Digital’s team of visibility and growth consultants at 773.664.5819. We enjoy creating colossal brand growth for our clients.