Brands entering the social sphere tend to pigeonhole themselves into the idea that the only conversion that matter are sales.
They tend to forget about social conversions, that means community building, engagement metrics, and conversation.
So if we building a landing page for sales, why not build a hub for social media?
What are Social Media Hubs?
Social media hubs are pages built specifically for social visitors. Potentially, this is the site shown to digg, stumbleupon, and other social users.
Many times the hub takes the form of a blog. However, for some brands a blog requires too much effort to maintain. This can be a simple page that highlights the other social platforms the brand is on.
Sometime, and only in the worst case scenario, the social media hub can be placed on a Facebook page. The downside to this is that traffic is being sent to Facebook, instead of the brand domain.
Why is a Social Media Hub Important?
The social media hub is integral to community building. It creates a platform that continually keeps consumers engaged, and allows users to have a back and forth with the brand.
The page can be used to offer important information to bloggers, and consumers alike. Finally, it’s used to channel visitors to other social platforms.
What Makes a Good Social Media Hub?
Social pages have to be designed slightly different than other pages. Unlike a regular site page, the social media hub should be updated frequently and offer timely information.
Also, social pages can be built with the more technical in mind, since most social media users are “Internet savvy”.
Finally, social media hubs should be easy to navigate and intuitive. With calls to action regarding joining the community, engaging the brand, and reaching out to other social platforms.
How Does it Benefit You?
Brands gain a lot out of having a social media hub. Instead of having a user land on the corporate homepage, which isn’t tailored for the specific consumer, this allows the user to join the community in the hopes of converting later down the line.
Much like building a newsletter list, the social media platform should have specific calls to actions that build the “social media list”.
Examples of Good Hubs
Obama blog includes good use of other social media platforms. Social media hub acts as a gateway to other portals. Articles include “email a friend” and “comments”. Permalinks make it easy for bloggers to link to the article.
Dell highlights the “participatory” nature of their community. With multiple landing pages for specific platforms. Also, highlights how to engage and communicate with the brand.
Know another site that uses the hub properly? Leave a comment. Is there another important aspect of the social media hub that helps it be an effective traffic converter? Let us know how you use social media hubs.
