Last updated on September 6th, 2017 at 10:08 pm

Social media networks are vastly popular tools that approximately 90% of young American adults ages 18 – 29 use on a daily basis. Thanks to the rapid growth of social media apps and mobile-friendly sites, social media is something that many of us leave home with everyday courtesy of our smartphones. It is no secret that social media has taken a firm hold on our lives; however, adjusting to the business benefits of the media empire is something that many businesses are still trying to achieve through social media integration efforts.

4 tips to successfully integrate print and social media campaigns

Tapping into the growing number of people using social media on a daily basis has resulted in the birth of a $23.68 billion social media marketing industry. The opportunity exists for businesses to successfully integrate their traditional print campaigns with new, innovative social media efforts; however, all too often business leap before they think. Businesses are prone to jump on viral trends and to treat social media and print as separate campaigns, in an effort to achieve more likes, shares, tweets, etc.

The following four tips are designed to help you avoid gimmicky social marketing traps. Before you can successfully combine the forces of print with social media, you must first understand the needs of your intended consumer; only then will you be ready to create a  cross-promotional marketing campaign.

Tip #1: Use traditional advertising methods to fill in digital knowledge gaps.

In an age where spammers run rampant, consumers are becoming less likely to give out their email addresses. To surpass this challenge, you can use a traditional advertising method, such as a postcard mailer, to prompt potential consumers to become a part of your company’s digital conversation. The postcard campaign can be customized with a Personal URL (PURL). The PURL will direct the potential consumer to a personalized website that is specifically catered to their needs. Alternative pages of the website can connect to your company’s social media accounts, user generated content promotions, or other personalized offerings, such as customized product discounts.

Tip #2: Turn your business card into a social media marketing tool.

A well-designed business card can improve business-to-consumer and business-to-business networking. If you are interested in integrating your print and social media efforts, then be sure that your social media pages are prominently displayed on your business card. Use a customized Twitter handle, Facebook URL, and LinkedIn URL to ensure that recipients can easily interact on your chosen social media platforms. This simple tactic can help you to effectively improve your digital footprint, while simultaneously building your business network.

Tip #3: Create personalized direct mail campaigns.

Incorporating personalized components into a direct mail campaign is a must-have feature of any successful marketing effort. Personalization is key to producing higher conversion rates. Generally speaking, consumers want to know that they are important to the businesses who are attempting to contact them. From personalized greetings, specialized offers that cater to personal purchasing habits, or a follow-up personalized text message or email, there are several ways that you can successfully personalize your direct mail campaigns, so that consumers are driven to review your digital offerings.

Tip #4: Use current advertising efforts to successfully boost social engagement.

One of the easiest ways to boost social engagement via print advertising is the use of a hashtag campaign. Your hashtag campaign should invite users to create and share their brand-oriented content on your brand’s social media pages. The best part about a hashtag campaign is that it provides easily tracked results and can efficiently be incorporated into an established print advertising campaign with the addition of “#yourcampaignhashtaghere.”

The bottom line: Social media integration can and should be used with print

Before another moment is lost, begin your social media integration efforts. Whether you choose to combine traditional print mailers with the powerful effects of user generated content, or want to turn to hashtag campaigns, we invite you to explore the benefits of social media integration today. With the combined forces of social media and traditional advertising efforts, your business can reach past, current, and future consumers with accelerated ease.

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