Given recent high-profile events, we can't ignore the topic of SMM promotion during the COVID-19 lockdown.
SMM services were hugely successful before, and after isolation rules were introduced they not only became a hot topic but also turned out to be a "gold mine" for many people. Many have turned their attention to SMM, and for good reason.
Why did the coronavirus give SMM such a strong boost?
Lockdown laws left an incredible number of people without work. Fortunately, online sales, social media promotion and other remote income streams are available to everyone, in normal times and during self-isolation alike. Working online has always been convenient, and now it's also a great way to protect yourself from illness. Thanks to online marketing, we don't have to ride public transport or go to shops fearing infection: an online business lets you work from home on a flexible schedule. And if you were laid off, as almost every company had to cut staff, or sent on unpaid leave because shopping centres, boutiques and offices closed, this kind of income won't leave you with an empty wallet in these hard times. During isolation it proves to be the most practical and reliable option. And it has been growing ever faster since COVID-19 appeared.
Instagram promotion is one of the most popular ways to earn in SMM. In the 21st century it's hard to find someone who doesn't have a profile on the app, which opens up endless opportunities: income from advertising, growing and promoting accounts, selling products via Instagram — whatever you like. Importantly, it's easily accessible and especially convenient during lockdown. Unfortunately, besides these advantages there's one downside: fraud. There was plenty of it before, of course, but scammers keep inventing new ways to profit from others. They prey on people in panic and despair. In a hopeless situation, such people don't notice who they're dealing with and hand over their last money for nothing. So I urge you to stay cautious and look at any offer soberly so as not to fall for a scam. Various schemes are another "way to earn" — they may bring income, but they're not even worth considering.
Online sales are perhaps the most profitable activity right now. Many companies have long been trying to move their operations online, because it's easy, fast and productive, and now isolation leaves no choice. So we all turn to online stores. Restaurants and other food businesses feed customers through home delivery, and retail shops sell online and send parcels by post or courier. Right now there's a real chance to succeed in online trade, as demand has risen along with the number of shoppers. The key is to identify your audience and understand their needs. Choose something you genuinely enjoy and understand, so sales flow steadily.
So let's look at how to sell products during lockdown. You probably have enough free time to go through your old things and sell them, for example on OLX. It's easy: you won't break self-isolation rules, you'll earn money practically out of thin air and declutter your flat. You can also use the old scheme: buy low, sell high. Many people now simply don't know where to get certain products, so finding buyers won't be hard. For creative people, handmade goods are a great way to earn. Things you make yourself can be sold on any suitable marketplace. Later, if you wish, build your own brand, grow its recognition and develop pages and communities on other platforms to increase your capital and order flow.
We can't overlook Facebook promotion. It's similar to working on Instagram: you can also do PR and sell any goods and services. On this platform it pays to create themed groups to gather your customers and tell them about products, special offers and so on. Facebook rarely picks up Instagram trends because its audience is a bit different (lots of IT specialists, and most users already have a university degree, while younger users are more active on Instagram). So if you couldn't find "your" customers on Instagram, try Facebook. Come up with a catchy name and a distinctive design, talk to your customers, find out their needs and run share-to-win contests so as many people as possible hear about you. The main advantage of Facebook is targeted advertising: your ads are shown to exactly the audience most likely to be interested in your offer.
Social media promotion deserves a separate mention. Popularity online brings many benefits. You can publish sponsored posts on your account and earn good money, and you'll have a broad audience to sell to. Another way to earn is promoting other people's accounts, which can be quite profitable. Instagram is ideal for this: high engagement and the ability to share photos and descriptions of your product or service. For this work you need to understand Instagram trends and know how to attract followers. With some know-how you can even create your own account growth tool and charge for it. Likes and followers will always be in demand among internet users.
The possibilities of online marketing don't end there. You can attract customers not only through social media but also via PPC advertising, forums and blogs. There are dedicated services that grow businesses with a focus on PPC. Some of their formats are free, which is a great help for new entrepreneurs. All you need to do is specify your field and area of operation, then wait for visitors to arrive. A proper understanding of your customers will help you create the perfect content plan, place ads in the right places and gain new customers. Still, the advantage of social media is that you get feedback in the form of reviews (so you can improve your range if needed) and reach new audiences. You can hire a specialised agency or do this work yourself. If you want to be an SMM specialist, your duties will include running social media accounts in full — publishing posts, drawing up content plans, replying to messages, buying and setting up ads on other platforms and tracking analytics. That's what you'll be paid for.
SMM — a step into the future
Every shop or company already has a website or an account on some platform. And this field will only keep growing. Many companies will move online and improve their online operations to boost productivity. COVID-19 brought many problems, but even in this situation we can keep growing and discovering new horizons thanks to the internet. The coronavirus forced everyone online, letting people see first-hand how diverse and practical the world of SMM is. It's quite possible that even after lockdown ends, many business owners will keep working remotely to save time — as you've seen, it's much simpler and more productive.
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