Week 3: Social Networking for Businesses

In today's market, harnessing the power of social media is a must if you want to grow your business or brand. From Instagram posts to Twitter announcements, these are just some of the many features of a carefully managed social media campaign. A large percentage of the public uses social media today ― Pew Research Center reports 70 percent ― so businesses can't afford not to interact with audiences via social networking sites. With this in mind, any aspiring entrepreneur who has yet to harness the power of social media needs to get with the program, ASAP. The key is creating a strong online presence, which then translates into loyal customers, and more customers = more $$$, which is the main goal of all businesses.

In order to grow your business using social media, one needs to learn how to choose the best social media channels, which requires taking time to familiarize yourself with each network, how it runs, and what demographics use that platform. Many tech sites offer tips, strategies, and even comprehensive analytics on various social networks, so I'm not going to do that here. Instead, in the vein of last week's post, I will be sharing an example of a successful social networking strategy, which you can hopefully learn some things from 😊

The "Kardashian" name is one many social media users will be familiar with, as that family truly exemplifies what it means to be "social media savvy". Kim Kardashian, arguably the most famous Kardashian, is an American reality television personality, socialite, actress, businesswoman and model. Kim first gained media attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton, but received wider notice after a 2003 sex tape with her former boyfriend was leaked in 2007. Later that year, she and her family began to appear in the E! reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The success of the show soon led to her gaining widespread media attention. In recent years, Kim has grown an influential online and presence, amassing tens of millions of followers on Twitter and Instagram.

After gaining social media fame, the star then cleverly turned that into a booming business by marketing her reputation as a brand. She has released a variety of products tied to her name, including the successful 2014 mobile game Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, a lifestyle mobile app, and a variety of clothing and products. Kim has also just launched a new beauty line which sold out in less than three hours after the products went on sale. Her business ventures have no doubt benefited from her having one of the biggest social media followings in the world, as her social media presence is the main way of advertising her brand. Love her or hate her, there is no denying that Kim Kardashian is a bonafide social media mogul.

Kim recently gave a talk at the Forbes Women's Summit this year, breaking down her social networking strategy. She stated that "social media is the most important tool to building your brand", and the key was to "be authentic and listen". To her, each social media platform has a different role and importance. When it comes to Twitter, she said, "I love the conversation with people. I think people love to promote, but for me, I listen a lot." The end goal here, is to build a long-term audience to remain relevant in the market over time.

A sponsored post done by the reality star

The reality star's strategy of turning one's social networks into a brand is actually a common one, that many social media users are actually already doing. By just giving people unfiltered access to her personal life through posting content on her everyday life, interacting with other users, and making profit from sponsored posts. Ultimately, she views herself as a brand. This is a result of the online trend of "oversharing" today's technology users are increasingly falling prey to. With this, jobs that never existed previously have emerged. There’s the social media “influencer,” a person who makes their money through gaining a large following online and sharing sponsored content. Then there are Social Media Managers and SEO specialists – all of whom are hired by brands to create online content which will rack up likes and retweets.

Simply Measured sums up three key principles of Kim Kardashian's social media strategy (which members of her famous family also use). First, seamlessly integrate marketing content with non-branded lifestyle content. Then, ensure cross-platform strength with a unique narrative and consistent voice. Finally, don’t be shy — connect directly with Twitter followers and nurture what you might currently consider an “overactive” feed.

Watch the video to enter the world of Kim, and maybe you'll become a loyal fan ~