Using Social Media for Marketing Professional Services

As social media has surged in popularity it was probably inevitable that professional services firms would began to include it as a part of their marketing strategy. But is it effective? What are the key benefits? How do you develop a strategy? These are some of the questions we will address in this post.

Let’s start by defining what a social media marketing strategy is all about.

Social Media Marketing Strategy Defined

Social media marketing strategy is a written document describing how you will use social media in support of strategic marketing goals such as brand building, lead generation or talent acquisition. Social media marketing strategies typically contain the following elements:

Business purpose to be addressed

Target audience profiles
Social media platforms to be used
Implementation tactics
Specific goals and measures to be tracked
Often, a social media strategy is part of a more comprehensive marketing plan.



The Strategic Uses of Social Media

Social media can be an important component of your overall marketing strategy. We have identified five primary roles that social media can play in a modern professional services firm.

Networking

Social media’s original intended role, as an online networking system, is still important for professional services firms. Treat Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook as an online cocktail party—a way to meet new people and develop important business and client relationships—but without the hangover. And, like a cocktail party, social media is highly reciprocal. People expect replies to their tweets, comments, and questions, and there is an expectation that you will share other people’s content as well as your own.

Content Promotion

Social media is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to promote your firm’s content. Creating a social media marketing strategy to promote your content via different channels will help build your reputation and visibility—i.e., your brand.