As we have seen in other spaces, social networks are very useful for Marketing and Sales, therefore, we want you to be clear about their role in these two areas, know their real potential and a very simple guide to the strategy you can start.
Let us begin!
3 functions of social networks in Marketing
The influence of social networks on our lives and on marketing has been from another planet, it is not for nothing that these platforms have approximately 4,000 million users , a very impressive figure to take advantage of.
Not all users use the internet for the same reason. Some use it for purposes: commercial, personal, educational, entertainment ... Well, there may be various reasons.
Before getting into the matter, we want to remind you that the creation of social networks has allowed too many people to find themselves in a completely digital space, which has led companies to take that leap of evolution.
Then don't hesitate to use them!
Some marketing experts speak of the “Social Media Ecosystem,” that is, a set of elements such as influence, persuasion, audience segmentation and content generation as part of that digital environment.
Now let's look at the 3 main functions of social networks in marketing:
- Branding (brand management) : its main objective is to enchant the minds and hearts of users, therefore, this concept plays a fundamental role in social networks. “Brand recognition is essential to improve revenue” Andy Stalman.
Some experts call it “branding on the web” as that which is responsible for aspects such as visual identity and the creation of following communities as loyal ambassadors of the brand.
Tip: For this type of function consider whether you need to update your brand identity (rebranding) or make a new one.
- Interaction : digital platforms promote direct interaction with the user or potential client, as well as allowing them to participate in real-time conversations with the audience.
This work creates closer connections with the target audience and can influence positive perception towards the company.
- Audience segmentation: Social media has the great advantage of allowing companies to segment their target audience efficiently. Likewise, these platforms offer the option of targeting messages to specific groups according to their interests and needs.
Now, do you want to know the good and bad of social networks?…
Role of social networks in Sales
Most likely, you know what the use of these platforms is in people's lives, but in sales, do you know? 
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Before focusing on the role of social networks in sales , it is important to consider that, although networks are a natural or organic means that allows us to reach sales, their primary function is to attract users to start a conversion funnel. and sales, meaning that their main focus is not selling.
(Now yes! “Let's do a couple of analyses” to understand its role).
So in case it wasn't on your radar, keep in mind that social networks are among the most important channels for attracting and generating leads .
This role may include:
A potential client feels comfortable sharing and interacting with the content displayed on these platforms, which attracts much more attention and audience than they already have.
You have the application of an important trend in the world of electronic commerce: Social Commerce.
A sales channel used through social media to help stimulate the online buying and selling of products and services.
The collection of data that these platforms provide on user behavior is of great help in adapting sales strategies.
Social networks play a fundamental role in understanding audiences, which is why we must take advantage of their potential at all stages of the sales process.
Comparison between the 5 most used social networks in Marketing and Sales
There is no single social network for marketing and sales . That will depend on the situation and market trends, what you want to sell and the purpose of the brand.
But, we can give you a comparison of the 5 most used social networks in marketing and sales so that you can start creating your digital scenario:
Facebook: with a very strong option to reach a broader audience , Facebook or Meta Ads. Its user base is diverse and segmented by interests.
Some functions in marketing
- Allows you to create carousel type ads through Facebook Ads. You can also have an official page or Fan Page of your business. Two important options to attract with content and obtain leads or potential clients.
- Using stories will be an excellent way to communicate in real time to the audience what you are doing or to communicate a launch or promotion.
- With Pixel custom Facebook audience you can follow the people who come to your profile or website.
- Facebook functions can be very profitable if you choose well the content and options offered by this platform.
Some sales functions
- Using Marketplace offers opportunities to sell products directly from the social network. Facebook is very effective at this point.
- You can organize Chatbots with response flows and automatic messages that can be customized in Facebook Messenger.
- Using the sales manager will allow you to create and organize a catalog with all the items you want to promote on this network.
- The checkout feature helps users purchase directly from Facebook.
- With the “sales manager” functionality you can also manage your accounting and track cash flows.
Instagram: the social network with a young audience is the most visually attractive. It focuses on lifestyle, creativity and trends .
Some functions in marketing:
- The use of hashtags is essential to find related content, an important functionality when marking keywords that attract traffic.
- Companies can announce an exclusive product launch campaign on Instagram, by configuring news and reminders to give everything a "prelude" to said event.
Some sales functions
- You can create a business profile to generate more trust and value in your audience. Don't forget to choose the right product or service to sell on this social network.
- The “Buy on Instagram” section will be a great help to highlight your product and make it easy for users to discover. In this function, take advantage of the advantages of reels and photos.
- The Instagram Shopping option will allow you to connect with your Facebook page, upload a product catalog and activate purchases so that people can better explore the available items.
- Product tags promote your catalog items directly in images and videos. This way, the audience only has to click on the label to get more information.
LinkedIn: ideal to reach a professional and work space. It can be a challenge for B2B companies (companies that sell to businesses).
Some functions in marketing:
- It is an effective platform for networking and B2B content. In addition, it is ideal for increasing the credibility of your brand.
- The option to "create groups of companies" is a very useful element to increase the level of employee branding (human capital loyalty).
- This network is becoming one of the main channels to direct traffic to corporate websites, you can do it through the "Featured" option in your profile.
Some functions in sales:
- This network has infinite ways to get new and potential clients, through users who view your profile and using advanced search.
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator's premium feature will help you segment the right buyers and gain key insights. It is ideal for interacting with your potential clients. One more fact: it can be integrated with a CRM.
- The use of LinkedIn Ads is of great benefit to companies when it comes to boosting their conversions. This tool focuses on generating leads through paid ads.
Selling on LinkedIn is an excellent option!
TikTok: one of the most influential networks in the world of marketing and sales due to its massive reach.
Some functions in marketing:
- You can create creative and attractive content that shows the purpose of the brand, for example viral videos that generate trends and recall among users.
- You can include this powerful channel in the marketing strategy and in the organic promotion of your products, due to its profitability in advertising.
- The algorithm of this platform has a great scope, which allows SMEs to produce content to have greater interaction on this network.
Some functions in sales:
- In this network, companies will be able to promote products or services in a fun way, this can be very effective in promoting sales.
- TikTok for business is intended for companies to get new customers and generate results fast. 74% of users on this network say that TikTok has inspired them to learn more about a product.
- The multichannel sales method is also one of the options of this social network, in which it offers to maximize the reach that companies have in a market through this platform.
YouTube: the largest video platform in the world, which makes it attractive for creating audiovisual content.
Some functions in marketing:
- Useful for creating multimedia content with the aim of positioning a company and adding more web traffic. This involves creating an official channel or account, keyword content, advertisements and collaboration with other creators or influencers.
- Optimize the data that describes the content of the video, such as; The title, tag, description, category and subtitles will ensure that the video is indexed correctly and appears in the main search options.
- Using playlists groups your content in a way that's convenient for visitors.
Some functions in sales:
- It is excellent for demonstrating how a product or service works, that is, generating trust. This can affect the user's purchasing decision.
- Use YouTube Shopping, your channel's store that, for example, allows you to pin your products to live broadcasts.
- YouTube paid ads while watching the video. The model for this feature is cost per view (CPV), meaning they only pay when someone interacts with the ad.
How to start a networking strategy for your Company
Now that we know how social networks work in Marketing and Sales, it is time to apply a first strategy for your company.
Here we leave you the steps you can start:
Know who my audience is . Well, without being clear about this, you will not be able to create the marketing campaign, nor will you know what type of social networks they use.
Define the objective or purpose that a company can have in this network as:
- Be a communication channel with the client
- Position and promote the brand
- Create a fan community of the company
Listen to my audience consistently . Fortunately, there are a number of tools that allow you to do this analysis. Reddit or Artificial Intelligence are a rich source of data and formats. Social listening is becoming stronger.
Choose the right social networks , as not all of them will suit your brand. Ask yourself questions like: is my target audience on that social network? Or do the parameters of that social network align with the brand's purposes?
You can choose between Instagram, which is ideal for showing visually striking products, or Facebook, the favorite of companies because the type of content does not matter, since this social network (through Facebook Ads or Meta Ads) promotes according to the interests of your Buyer persona.
Process planning . There is no point in having an account on a social network if there is no ability to keep it alive with content and campaigns.
Preparation of an editorial calendar . A visual tool that allows you to maintain an adequate rhythm of publications, organize your brainstorming for posts, take into account special dates and have a chronological view of the topics.
Creating eye-catching and powerful content to stand out on social networks. For this, it is perfect to have a content marketing strategy, it is a great advance.
Here you can contemplate one of the trends in 2023: incorporating the role of “nenoinfluencers”, natural people who have between 1,000 and 10,000 followers; new allies for SME companies, as it is reliable and obtains a simple return on investment.
To support this point, look at this fact:
According to Portafolio: “one survey reported that nano influencers can engage up to 8.7% of their followers, while the engagement rate of celebrity influencers, who have over a million followers, is only 1.7.” %, which is why they are more sought after in the advertising industry.”
Metrics are part of this process, with them, you will be able to know if the campaigns you created are working.
Some social media metrics are: reach, interest, traffic or number of clicks, and conversions.
Remember: a social network is a magical showcase, very powerful to promote, sell and consolidate the brand.
To close, follow our social networks , they can serve as an example and inspiration to administer and manage yours 
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