As we move into 2022, it's important for businesses to start thinking about how they can utilize social media to their advantage. After all, social media is only becoming more and more popular, with an estimated 3.96 billion users worldwide.
There are a number of ways businesses can use social media for marketing in Canada. In this article, we'll discuss how social media helps with digital marketing and how you can use it to boost your business in Canada.
How are Social Media and Marketing Connected?
It's important to understand how social media and marketing are connected before we dive into how you can use them for marketing in Canada.
First and foremost, social media is a powerful tool that can be used for promotional purposes. It provides businesses with a way to connect with their target audience and create meaningful relationships.
When it comes to marketing, it can be used to achieve a number of different objectives, such as:
- Increasing brand awareness
- Generating leads
- Nurturing prospects
- Converting customers
Each objective requires a different approach, but the bottom line is that social media can help you achieve your marketing goals if used correctly.
What Social Media Platforms to Use in 2022?
Now that we've gone over how to use social media for marketing in Canada, let's discuss which platforms you should be using in 2022.
Seemingly, Facebook seems to be the most popular social media platform in Canada. However, that doesn't mean it's the only platform you should be using. Depending on your goals and target audience, you may find that other platforms are more effective.
Some other social media platforms you may want to consider using in 2022 include:
- Snapchat
Each platform has its own unique features and benefits, so it's important to choose the one that makes the most sense for your business.
2022 Statistics of Social Media in Canada
According to Statista, as of January 2021, it's estimated that there are 37 million Canadian social media users. This number is expected to grow to 38 million by 2022.
When broken down by platform, the most popular platforms for Canadian internet users are as follows:
- Facebook: 22 million users
- YouTube: 18 million users
- Instagram: 11 million users
- Snapchat: 8 million users
As you can see, Facebook is truly the most popular platform among Canadians, followed by YouTube and Instagram.
Steps in Using Social Media for Marketing in Canada
Now that we've looked at some statistics in Canada, let's discuss how you can use social media for marketing in Canada.
There are a number of steps you'll need to take in order to effectively use social media for marketing purposes. These steps include:
1. Define your goals
As we mentioned before, it's important to have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve with your social media marketing efforts. Do you want to increase brand awareness? To drive lead? Nurture prospects? Convert customers? Once you know your objectives, you can create content and strategies that will help you achieve these goals.
2. Research your audience
It's also important to have a good understanding of who your target audience is. What are their demographics? What are their interests? What platforms do they use? Answering these questions will help you create content that resonates with your audience and helps you achieve your objectives.
3. Create a content strategy
Once you know your goals and target audience, it's time to start creating content. This should be designed to appeal to your target audience and help you achieve your objectives. This should be part of bigger marketing strategies.
It's also important to consider which platforms you'll be using to share it. Each platform has its own unique features, so it's important to create content that takes advantage of these features.
4. Choose your platforms
As we mentioned before, there are a number of social media networks you can use for marketing in Canada. The marketing channels you choose will depend on a number of factors, such as your target audience, objectives, and content strategy.
Create your account and start to follow people within your target market. Try to build your following in this early stage so you can reach more people with the first implementation of your strategy.
5. Implement your strategy
The final step is to implement your strategy and start sharing your content on social media. It's important to be consistent with your posting and to interact with your audience on a regular basis.
By following these steps, you can effectively use social media for marketing in Canada.
Different Types of Social Media Content You Can Post
Let's discuss the different types of visual content you can post. The type of content you share will depend on your goals and target audience. However, some general content ideas include:
- Blog posts
- Images
- Videos
- Infographics
- Podcasts
- case studies
By sharing a mix of different types of content, you can appeal to a wider range of people and achieve your objectives.
Useful Tips When Using Social Media for Marketing
Now that we've gone over some general information about social media marketing in Canada, let's discuss some useful tips you can use to make sure your campaign is successful.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Keep your goals in mind
As we mentioned before, it's important to have a clear understanding of your goals before you start creating content. Keep your objectives in mind when planning and creating your social media strategy.
Plan your content carefully
It's also important to plan carefully. Make sure that your creation is designed to appeal to your target audience and help you achieve your objectives.
Be consistent with your posting
It's important to be consistent with your posting. If you only post sporadically, you're not likely to see much success. Try to post regularly and interact with your audience on a regular basis.
Take advantage of platform-specific features
Each social media platform has its own unique features and benefits. Make sure to take advantage of these features when creating your content.
Be active on your social media accounts
In order to be successful with social media marketing, you need to be active on your accounts. This means posting regularly, interacting with your audience, and sharing relevant and engaging content.
It also means that you should always be easily available if any customers would like to chat. You should offer good customer service even in the social media world.
Experiment and track your results
Finally, it's important to experiment with different strategies and content types to see what works best for your business. Keep track of your results so you can adjust your strategy as needed.
Trends to Lookout for in 2022
There are Internet trends that you can utilize to your advantage. Combine it with marketing trends and you can create the perfect content strategy for your business.
In regard to this, some social media trends to look out for include:
1. The rise of TikTok
TikTok has become one of the most popular platforms in recent years, and it's showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, TikTok is expected to continue growing in popularity in the coming year, especially in the digital marketing industry. If you're not already using TikTok as part of your strategy, now is the time to start.
2. The continued growth of Instagram
Instagram is another platform that's expected to continue growing in popularity in 2022. More businesses are starting to realize the importance of visual content, and Instagram is the perfect platform for sharing images and videos.
It's a sister social media network of Facebook, so it also offers some great features, such as the ability to run ads.
3. The rise of live streaming
Live streaming is another trend that's expected to grow in popularity in the coming year. Platforms like Facebook Live and Instagram Live allow you to connect with your audience in real-time. This is a great way to build relationships with your customers and create an engaged community around your brand.
4. The growth of social media influencers
Influencer marketing is also expected to continue growing in popularity in 2022. Social media influencers have a large following and can help promote your products or services to a wider audience. Currently, you can find a lot of social media marketers and brands collaborating with influencers on the Internet as part of their marketing plans.
5. The importance of dark social
Finally, it's important to be aware of the trend of dark social. Dark social refers to the sharing of content through private channels, such as messenger apps and email. This is a growing trend, and brands need to be aware of it in order to reach their target audience.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a number of different social media platforms to use in 2022, and each has its own unique benefits. Keep these tips in mind when creating your social media marketing strategy, and you'll be on your way to success. Thanks for reading!
