Using Social Media for Marketing Newborn Software
It used to be that the computer industry was on the cutting edge and anyone involved with writing software was considered to be some form of a rocket scientist. Fast forward a number of decades and the computer is a vital part of most people’s lives irrespective of age, and software is something that most grandparents can discuss with their grandchildren.
What is at the cutting edge today is social media. It has made the same advances as the computer and software, only much more quickly due to the advantage of having been able to “stand on the shoulders of giants.” Consequently, to remain current and attract the highest number of possible users, the best way to market newborn software is via social media. It is a sort of pairing of the new with the old, or rather the new with the new that doesn’t seem so new anymore.
Going About It
Your marketing efforts should have begun even before starting to create your software. You can use social media to quickly, easily, and cheaply gather information from your target audience by either commissioning a survey on a relevant social media platform or simply hanging around forums and communities that deal with your software and asking questions. Of course, at this stage, you do not reveal your master plan to the participants.
When you are ready, start a blog either with or without a website to let the world know that you exist, what you are planning, and to keep them regularly advised of your progress. During this stage of development, you should be contributing to communities and displaying your expertise in the area so as to prove your credentials to the community. Linking to your own blog/website enables you to build your own community that will hopefully be the first users of your software.
Of course, you will also require a social media presence above and beyond your blog. The term “relevant social media platform” was used earlier, and the word “relevant” cannot be understated. If you are marketing your latest and greatest CRM software on Facebook, chances are that it is not your best option. In this instance, LinkedIn would probably be more relevant and possibly Twitter. In other words, if you are not marketing to the right audience on the correct social media platform, chances are that you are wasting your time.
Social media is a very powerful marketing tool. However, it must be used intelligently and regularly to be of best benefit for marketing your software.
Written by Joe from Linkury, visit Linkury Joe for a cup o’ joe and more information on software marketing!