Now that you have established your business, the next step is to expand it. And for that, you need to generate leads. However, you don't want to generate just any leads. You want to attract people who are relevant and likely to convert. But that's easier said than done. Generating leads is the top marketing challenge, according to 61 percent of marketers.
\r\nThat said, channels like social media can help you overcome that challenge. There is a tremendous increase in the number of people using social media. By 2021, you can expect to see 3.02 billion people using it.
\r\nWith those kinds of numbers, brands have realized the potential of social media. It is one of the most powerful ways to reach and engage with your target audience.
\r\nThis post will talk about four of the most effective ways to generate quality leads with social media.
\r\nUse personalized and brand-specific hashtags in your posts to stand out from your competitors. This will help you increase brand awareness and generate high-quality leads.
\r\nHowever, you need to make sure that you add hashtags only when it's relevant and applicable. And try not to add too many hashtags to your posts just for the sake of adding them. Hashtags need to be precise and targeted.
\r\nYou should create a mix of unique yet simple hashtags for your brand. Make sure that it's not too long or too simple. This will help your potential customers discover you and your posts easily. And don't forget to encourage your existing customers to use those hashtags for even better visibility.
\r\nFor instance, Coca-Cola's hashtag campaign to generate quality leads was one of the most successful campaigns. In 2017, the brand wanted to promote their personalized Coke bottles and boost sales. So, they came up with the #ShareACoke hashtag on their social media posts.
\r\nThe hashtag campaign went viral, and it resulted in increased sales of personalized Coke bottles. The brand even launched a website just to take orders for personalized Coke bottles from consumers. Like Coca-Cola, perhaps you can create and run unique hashtag campaigns for your brand on social media to generate leads.
\r\nOrganizing contests on social media platforms is another effective way of generating leads for your brand. When done correctly, it will help you get the attention of your target audience. Contests are one of the best ways to excite your audience since you're giving them a chance to win prizes.
\r\nIf the prize includes your products, it's a great way to give them a taste of what you're offering so they will come back for more. You can either organize a contest related to your brand or collaborate with influencers and ask them to run contests on your behalf. Influencers can help you expand your reach and engage with a highly relevant audience.
\r\nHowever, there are a few important things to consider when organizing contests on social media. Always use simple and clear language to write the rules and instructions, and don't forget to mention the criteria to win the contest. If you're going to randomly select a winner using software or an app, mention that beforehand. This will avoid any confusion among your contest participants.
\r\nLive videos are a fairly new feature on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. But regardless of their age, they have made it much easier for brands to engage their audience and generate leads. This is mainly because videos are simple and fun to watch, and everyone can understand them easily.
\r\nIn fact, 80 percent of people on social media prefer to watch a video instead of reading a post. Using videos, you can easily establish a connection with your target audience and get their attention. If your live video was compelling and engaging enough, your target audience will remember you for a longer time. This means you'll be generating leads.
\r\nYou can use live videos to communicate your brand's value and the emotions so your target audience can relate to you. And it will give them the chance to communicate with you by commenting.
\r\nIt's common for brands to host a Q&A session through live videos so their target audience can ask important questions about the brand and products. This is a highly effective way to generate more leads, as the audience will have their doubts answered and get more assurance to buy the product.
\r\nYou could also leverage live videos to talk about your new product and pitch it to your target audience.
\r\nNo one can resist a discount or flash sale on their favorite products or services. So you can leverage them to generate high-quality leads. This also helps you raise brand awareness, as people are likely to share the news with their friends.
\r\nCreate a sense of urgency when you organize flash sales by clearly mentioning the deadline and using a timer to count down to the hour. Don't forget to use attractive templates to write a strong call to action to make it even more effective.
\r\nPromoting your discounts on social media platforms is a cost-effective tactic to get the attention of your audience. This will help you generate more quality leads through the channel.
\r\nYou can also collaborate with bloggers and microinfluencers on social media who are looking for affiliate marketing opportunities. This strategy can also help you boost engagement with your target audience on social media. This will likely result in building a strong community of people who are followers and fans of your brand.
\r\nRegardless of the size of your business, it's important to generate quality leads, but this is a challenge for most marketers. These four tactics can help you generate quality leads using social media channels. Organize contests or promote attractive discounts to get the attention of your target audience and generate leads. You can also use hashtags specific to your brand and host live videos to engage with your audience.
\r\nDo you know any other ways to generate quality leads via social media? If so, leave a comment.
\n","docType":"article","guid":"articles_6f2c87a33892c9ffd6d29073e7a3152c","lastModified":"2019-01-15T14:00:00.000Z","published":"2019-01-15T14:00:00.000Z","structuredData":null,"subtitle":"These four strategies will help you overcome the challenging of generating quality leads.","template":"legacy","title":"4 Effective Ways to Generate Leads with Social Media","type":"article","author":{"avatar":null,"bio":"Shane Barker is a digital marketing consultant that specializes in sales funnels, targeted traffic and website conversions. He has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, Influencers with digital products, and a number of A-List celebrities.","name":"Shane Barker","image":null,"slug":null,"social":{"facebook":"","linkedin":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanebarker","twitter":"https://twitter.com/shane_barker","website":"https://shanebarker.com"},"status":"enabled","title":null,"type":"Old BDC Member","user":{"imagePath":"https://staging.business.com/images/uploads/user/profile/e5624d7ea70f0a63f3e0d946a2bcbdb528986.jpg","profile":{"company":"Shane Barker Consulting","jobTitle":"CEO","website":"https://shanebarker.com"}}},"breadcrumbs":null,"channels":{"primary":{"name":"Marketing","slug":"marketing"},"sub":{"name":"Social Media","slug":"social-media"}},"meta":{"robots":"index, follow","description":"Social media helps you target lead generation efforts to the exact consumers you're looking for. And these four ways will help you capture quality leads.","title":"How to Generate Quality Leads Using Social Media - business.com"},"parsedContent":{"toc":[{"id":"1-use-custom-hashtags","title":"1. Use custom hashtags."},{"id":"2-organize-contests","title":"2. Organize contests."},{"id":"3-host-live-videos","title":"3. Host live videos."},{"id":"4-offer-flash-sales-and-discount-codes","title":"4. Offer flash sales and discount codes."},{"id":"final-thoughts","title":"Final thoughts"}],"json":[{"component":"p","children":["Now that you have established your business, the next step is to ",{"component":"Link","props":{"href":"https://www.business.com/articles/smb-growth-marketing-strategies/","target":"_blank"},"children":["expand it"]},". And for that, you need to generate leads. However, you don't want to generate just any leads. You want to attract people who are relevant and likely to convert. But that's easier said than done. Generating leads is the top marketing challenge, according to ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://www.stateofinbound.com/?__hstc=20629287.dd7134fa43be80ef3a8617253f81b9a4.1537861874520.1542092452282.1542111886528.26&__hssc=20629287.3.1542111886528&__hsfp=730296475","target":"_blank","rel":"nofollow"},"children":["61 percent of marketers"]},"."]},{"component":"p","children":["That said, channels like social media can help you overcome that challenge. There is a tremendous increase in the number of people using social media. By 2021, you can expect to see ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/","target":"_blank","rel":"nofollow"},"children":["3.02 billion"]}," people using it."]},{"component":"p","children":["With those kinds of numbers, brands have realized the potential of social media. It is one of the most powerful ways to reach and engage with your target audience."]},{"component":"p","children":["This post will talk about four of the most effective ways to generate quality leads with social media."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"1-use-custom-hashtags"},"children":["1. Use custom hashtags."]},{"component":"p","children":["Use personalized and brand-specific hashtags in your posts to stand out from your competitors. This will help you increase brand awareness and generate high-quality leads."]},{"component":"p","children":["However, you need to make sure that you add hashtags only when it's relevant and applicable. And try not to add too many hashtags to your posts just for the sake of adding them. Hashtags need to be precise and targeted."]},{"component":"p","children":["You should create a mix of unique yet simple hashtags for your brand. Make sure that it's not too long or too simple. This will help your potential customers discover you and your posts easily. And don't forget to encourage your existing customers to use those hashtags for even better visibility."]},{"component":"p","children":["For instance, Coca-Cola's hashtag campaign to generate quality leads was one of the most successful campaigns. In 2017, the brand wanted to promote their personalized Coke bottles and boost sales. So, they came up with the ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://twitter.com/CocaCola/status/944960876230168577/photo/1","target":"_blank","rel":"nofollow"},"children":["#ShareACoke"]}," hashtag on their social media posts."]},{"component":"p","children":["The hashtag campaign went viral, and it resulted in increased sales of personalized Coke bottles. The brand even launched a ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://www.cokestore.com/custom-bottles-1","target":"_blank","rel":"nofollow"},"children":["website"]}," just to take orders for personalized Coke bottles from consumers. Like Coca-Cola, perhaps you can create and run unique hashtag campaigns for your brand on social media to generate leads."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"2-organize-contests"},"children":["2. Organize contests."]},{"component":"p","children":["Organizing contests on social media platforms is another effective way of generating leads for your brand. When done correctly, it will help you get the attention of your target audience. Contests are one of the best ways to excite your audience since you're giving them a chance to win prizes."]},{"component":"p","children":["If the prize includes your products, it's a great way to give them a taste of what you're offering so they will come back for more. You can either organize a contest related to your brand or collaborate with influencers and ask them to run contests on your behalf. Influencers can help you expand your reach and engage with a highly relevant audience."]},{"component":"p","children":["However, there are a few important things to consider when organizing contests on social media. Always use simple and clear language to write the rules and instructions, and don't forget to mention the criteria to win the contest. If you're going to randomly select a winner using software or an app, mention that beforehand. This will avoid any confusion among your contest participants."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"3-host-live-videos"},"children":["3. Host live videos."]},{"component":"p","children":["Live videos are a fairly new feature on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. But regardless of their age, they have made it much easier for brands to engage their audience and generate leads. This is mainly because videos are simple and fun to watch, and everyone can understand them easily."]},{"component":"p","children":["In fact, ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://livestream.com/blog/live-video-statistics-livestream","target":"_blank","rel":"nofollow"},"children":["80 percent of people"]}," on social media prefer to watch a video instead of reading a post. Using videos, you can easily establish a connection with your target audience and get their attention. If your live video was compelling and engaging enough, your target audience will remember you for a longer time. This means you'll be generating leads."]},{"component":"p","children":["You can use live videos to communicate your brand's value and the emotions so your target audience can relate to you. And it will give them the chance to communicate with you by commenting."]},{"component":"p","children":["It's common for brands to host a Q&A session through live videos so their target audience can ask important questions about the brand and products. This is a highly effective way to generate more leads, as the audience will have their doubts answered and get more assurance to buy the product."]},{"component":"p","children":["You could also leverage live videos to talk about your new product and pitch it to your target audience."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"4-offer-flash-sales-and-discount-codes"},"children":["4. Offer flash sales and discount codes."]},{"component":"p","children":["No one can resist a discount or flash sale on their favorite products or services. So you can leverage them to generate high-quality leads. This also helps you raise brand awareness, as people are likely to share the news with their friends."]},{"component":"p","children":["Create a sense of urgency when you organize flash sales by clearly mentioning the deadline and using a timer to count down to the hour. Don't forget to use ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://www.templatemonster.com/social-media.php?utm_campaign=blog_site_business&utm_source=inclusion&utm_medium=tm","target":"_blank","rel":"nofollow"},"children":["attractive templates"]}," to write a strong call to action to make it even more effective."]},{"component":"p","children":["Promoting your discounts on social media platforms is a cost-effective tactic to get the attention of your audience. This will help you generate more quality leads through the channel."]},{"component":"p","children":["You can also collaborate with bloggers and microinfluencers on social media who are looking for affiliate marketing opportunities. This strategy can also help you boost engagement with your target audience on social media. This will likely result in building a strong community of people who are followers and fans of your brand."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"final-thoughts"},"children":["Final thoughts"]},{"component":"p","children":["Regardless of the size of your business, it's important to generate quality leads, but this is a challenge for most marketers. These four tactics can help you generate quality leads using social media channels. Organize contests or promote attractive discounts to get the attention of your target audience and generate leads. You can also use hashtags specific to your brand and host live videos to engage with your audience."]},{"component":"p","children":["Do you know any other ways to generate quality leads via social media? If so, leave a comment."]}]},"resource":null,"sponsorship":null,"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/5c3/ca5af7b4374ef0a8b457c/1500-0-","caption":"Twin Design/Shutterstock","isBlurred":true},"bestPicks":null},"related":{"relatedArticles":[{"title":"8 Ways to Use Social Media for the Success of Your Business","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/8-ways-to-use-social-media-for-business/","slug":"8-ways-to-use-social-media-for-business","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5e1/5f7557b437439488b4575/1500-0-","dek":"Social media is a key channel to stay in direct contact with your customers. Here's how to use it to grow your business successfully.","lastModified":"2020-01-10T13:00:00Z","published":"2020-01-10T13:00:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"Small Business Marketing on a Budget","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/marketing-on-a-budget/","slug":"marketing-on-a-budget","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5d3/f5bdc5a215e45218b4568/1500-0-","dek":"There are a number of ways small businesses can market themselves for little cost","lastModified":"2019-07-31T13:00:00Z","published":"2019-07-31T13:00:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"Facebook for Business: 25 Tips and Tricks to Supercharge Your Business","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/facebook-for-business-tips-and-tricks/","slug":"facebook-for-business-tips-and-tricks","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5d1/4bf325a215e7c3b8b4567/1500-0-","dek":"Master social media and reap the rewards for your business.","lastModified":"2019-06-27T15:00:00Z","published":"2019-06-27T15:00:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"12 Signs You’re Losing Customers on Facebook","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/signs-youre-losing-facebook-followers/","slug":"signs-youre-losing-facebook-followers","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5e7/b99885a215ecd228b4579/1500-0-","dek":"It’s normal to occasionally lose some customers or followers on Facebook. 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However, if you’re losing customers in large numbers and consistently, that doesn’t mean the end for your Facebook marketing campaign.","lastModified":"2020-03-25T20:49:00Z","published":"2020-03-25T20:49:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"7 Questions to Ask Before Connecting With Your Audience on Social Media.","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/questions-before-connecting-audience-on-social-media/","slug":"questions-before-connecting-audience-on-social-media","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5f3/2b6459c658add188b4567/1500-0-","dek":"Before competing with other businesses on social media, ask yourself these questions to help you craft a brand voice that sells.","lastModified":"2020-08-11T20:41:00Z","published":"2020-08-11T20:41:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"How to Create Quality Content That Goes Viral in 2020","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/viral-content-marketing/","slug":"viral-content-marketing","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5de/5b0cf9c658a406b8b4567/1500-0-","dek":"Give your business a head start by launching viral content. 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