CU South Denver event examines Facebook as a marketing tool
Social media marketing is one of the most efficient, effective and cutting-edge ways to drive business growth. According to SocialMediaExaminer.com, over 50 percent of marketers who have used social media for more than two years state that it helped them improve sales. Even more so, 87 percent report that it generated increased exposure for their business.
Employing social media as a digital marketing tactic clearly works. But which channel is the most effective and why?
According to the same study, more than two-thirds of marketers picked Facebook as their most important channel, followed by LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. A whopping 94 percent of marketers claim they currently use Facebook to accelerate business growth and 72 percent use it as an ad platform. There is a definite desire for marketers to become Facebook ad pros, as 81 percent of marketers identify Facebook as the top paid social media channel they wanted to learn more about.
What makes this channel so unique and effective in the world of marketing? According to Matt Kaskavitch, digital engagement strategist for the University of Colorado Denver and Anschutz Medical Campus, much of it has to do with the large amount of users per month coupled with the undeniably low price to advertise or “boost” posts.
“Over 2 billion people around the world use Facebook every month. That’s a huge amount of potential customers just waiting to be engaged through interesting content,” said Kaskavitch, who has been featured as a social media expert in media outlets like CNN, CCTV America, 9News, Denver 7, Fox 31 and The Denver Post. “You can reach thousands of potential customers near your business for a fraction of what you’d spend on traditional advertising.”
Why, then, do only 49 percent of marketers feel their Facebook marketing is effective? According to Kaskavitch, much of it has do with an underdeveloped strategy.
“Many businesses wonder why they’re not seeing success with social media. Most often the answer is, the business does not have a clearly defined strategy on why they’re using Facebook and who they’re trying to reach.”
This medium is an absolutely imperative part of any business’s digital strategy for 2018, as it allows users to gather leads, reach a highly targeted audience and track progress through Facebook Insights, all without the cost of hiring an outside agency.
“Facebook has the most robust and powerful digital advertising platform on the internet today,” said Kaskavitch, noting that it is rapidly becoming the digital phone book of the 21st century. “If you’re not using it strategically for your business, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity.”
So, what happens if your business doesn’t know how to leverage Facebook as a marketing tool? Kaskavitch will be hosting a July 25 workshop on the topic at CU South Denver. With “Facebook for Small Businesses and Leans Teams,” he hopes to aid individuals in developing compelling content and campaigns, building ads in Facebook Ads Manager and understanding the steps to develop their own strategy.
“This workshop will help small business owners or social media professionals who lead small teams better use social media strategically,” Kaskavitch said. “We’ll cover the latest Facebook changes and how you can build or evolve your social media to be successful on Facebook in 2018.”
Facebook for Small Businesses and Lean Teams is open to anyone looking to accelerate their business’s success without the cost of hiring an outside expert. The workshop will include a comprehensive discussion, stimulating activities and a chance to interact with CU’s expert on digital engagement. Registration is $325 ($260 for CU affiliates) and includes a chef-prepared lunch. Space is limited.