You’re probably wondering, what in the world is SoLoMo, and why would you consider it for your business? SoLoMo, which stands for Social, Local, Mobile, is a powerful marketing combination that capitalizes on consumers increasing use of mobile. It inevitably influences a consumer’s purchasing power.
At the “SoLoMo: Social, Local and Mobile: Tactics, Tools & Resources for a Competitive Edge†panel at South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive on Saturday, March 9, host Sian Morson, the founder and CEO of Kollective Mobile, and panelists Janine Hausif, CEO of Around the Way App, Lindsey Holmes, CEO and lead strategist at LCH Business SM & Tech, and Zuhairah Scott Washington, founder and CEO of Kahnoodle, and Alison Cross, owner of The Boxcar Grocer discussed why the new marketing strategy is worth adding to your business model.
Here, BlackEnterprise.com highlights 5 ways you can get your business up and running with SoLoMo marketing:
Instant contact – “SoLoMo allows small and large business the ability to contact people right before they are about to buy. Leveraging this correctly will help you to be able to market smarter,†said Holmes. Leverage QR codes, mobile-only coupons, or Foursquare special check-ins allows businesses to capture the attention of their target consumer and, ultimately, drive sales.
Leverage powerful apps — Seek out tools like Yelp or Around The Way to drive awareness about your business amongst your target consumers. “We hope to make the Around The Way app a powerful SoLoMo tool for minority business owners. We hope the app will become a tool that will help black business owners win with their business,†said Hausif.
Get started NOW –  “If you want to get started, then get started now. Look at tools like Foursquare and Yelp, and look for technologies that will help drive traffic to your site,†Cross said. If mobile and local search isn’t apart of your overall strategy, then now is the time to get on top of it. Determine the best ways to use research tools like Foursquare and Instagram for your business.
Use visuals and user-generated content – “Eighty percent of millennials check user-generated content before they buy a product. Therefore, SoLoMo tools like Yelp and Instagram are very important,†Washington said. If you’re a local restaurant, then your full menu should be on Instagram in order to whet the appetite of your audience and drive customers into your store. Leverage visual storytelling for your business; it’ll help generate awareness and social sharing.
Familiarize yourself with SEO and social search - “A lot of mobile search are local. People are using their phones because we are human. Mobile phones and search help to empower us in order to make informed decisions,†remarked Washington. If your consumers can’t find your site, then your business will fail. With digital properties like your website or social media accounts being an entryway to your brand, it’s extremely important to maximize your search ranking.