When we look back at 2021, we can say with certainty that it was the year of social media for startups. We achieved impressive results for our customers, some that surprised even us. Below we compiled our most exciting why’s and how’s for you. So let’s dig in.
Customers
In 2021 social media took the number one place as THE tool to reach customers. Here’s why:
It’s incredibly dynamic, showing progress metrics from day to day and allowing you to adapt quickly to what your customers want.
It allows you to reach potential customers easily without capturing them (like you do with inbound marketing). Why is this important? Because it saves you money, is friendlier and looks less predative to the potential customers.
You know the classic inbound marketing process – Attract, Convert, Close, and Delight? We think the Attract and Convert stages could be more effective and cheaper on social media.
It gives you opportunities to join a conversation, not just sell. Because selling by “not selling” is the biggest trend in sales right now.
Investors
2021 proved the power of social media marketing in startup funding in all rounds from A up to IPO. You can show the investor community what you’re doing and target specific investment companies and position holders with social media.
This year at Cognis, we used both organic and paid promotions on social media, and the results we achieved surprised even us. For example, we helped the investor community know about an IPO, helping generate awareness, interest, and stock buying.
Employees
Do you think finding customers and investors is a challenge? Try hiring a full-stack engineer. In 2021, employer branding became hot, red hot.
Many tech startups have Instagram accounts showing youngish people eating ice cream, sprawling on poofs, and drinking beer. But to attract serious talent, you have to dig deeper.
For example, show your employees – present and future – that you read about them. That you give them good training and fair compensation programs, that you help them keep a good work-life balance through a hybrid workplace.
How? When you post your jobs on LinkedIn, when you upload employee spotlights, showcase employee experience. Many times, after changing a LinkedIn job post description, our customer was finally able to nail that elusive DevOps engineer.
The scarcity of tech employees coupled with the post-Corona great resignation turned the job market into an employee’s market. And we saw it as our job to enlighten customers and help them understand this new reality.
For us, this switch to seeing your employees as your prized customers is the biggest trend of 2021.
Happy new year, everyone, and let’s see what 2022 brings us.