Sorav Jain is a well known figure in social media as an entrepreneur, digital marketing and social media expert, consultant, trainer, author and also a speaker who is based in India. Having started his career at the age of 17, he has been listed as one of the Top Social Media Marketers under the age of 30 by Social Samosa and the Global Youth Marketing Forum has awarded him as one of the ‘Top 25 Social Media Professionals of India’.
Sorav spearheads one of the top Digital Marketing communities with 45,000+ members titled Digital Marketing Question and Answers on Facebook. As a trainer he has trained more than 100,000 professionals in the field of Digital Marketing, Personal Branding, and Facebook Advertisements.
This week we contacted him on behalf of our readers who are interested in social media, to share his knowledge about it and to know why social media holds such a vital position in today’s world.
Q:What made you choose acareer in Social Media, and how did you get in to this?
I was always fascinated about how Social Media helps people think creatively. When I was a student at Loyola College, Chennai, I used to work part time as a SEO content writer. This aroused my interest in the field of digital marketing and after I completed my post graduate studies, Social Media was the new cool trend in the field of marketing and thus I quickly adapted toit. My blog and the popularity of its content made me believe in this field even more. I used to write about social media marketing strategies way back in 2009 and it was widely read.
Q: How important is social media in today?
Social Media is more important than any other medium as it has user generated content (UGC). This means there is a lot more real time content, a lot more innovation in communication and scope for creativity which increases across the spectrum from rural to cities. Today, Social Media is the new reality show where all of us are contestants and all of us are critics.
Q: What channels do you think are most relevant to a business? How do you use each channel?
The business relevancy of Social Media platforms depends largely on the industry vertical and their audiences. However, you can categorise social media channels for business through:
* Facebook - to reach mass, target all age groups. (more for business to consumers products and services)
* Instagram – as the audience is slowly shifting here, Insta is the right way to capture the attention of teens and youth. Also a lot of womens’ accessories and fashion based brands get a good reach on Instagram. Instagram stories are the new cool ones.
* LinkedIn - To target CXOs and Professionals, B2B does really well on LinkedIn.
* Twitter - To reach out to influencers and participate in trending hashtags or create one.
* YouTube – For a larger audience and to generate demand through YouTube advertisements.
* Whatsapp: Whatsapp for business is one of the most convenient ways to strike one on one conversations for brands.
* Facebook Messenger - Brands investing on messenger marketing generally has more opening rate when compared to any other brands.
Q:What is your opinion on Social Media videos?
Videos are the most utilised content on the internet today! People are tired of reading now. They love to watch a lot more videos than before as the internet is getting cheaper and videos keep them entertained.
More than 500 million hours of videos are watched on YouTube, daily. With platforms like Instagram and Facebook, good videos discover people today and on YouTube videos get discovered by people. Both are a win-win situation. One generates demand and the other fulfils the demands of the user.
2019 and 2020 is all about great video content, as a marketer this is one of the most crucial thing to invest on.
Q: In your opinion, what makes a piece of social media content successful?
I always believe there are 5 key mantras of successful content. The content has to be:
Helpful, Informational, Entertaining, Real Time (Current Affairs based) and Humorous.
And the science of viral content largely depends on its timings and the involvement of influencers. Once some content is shared by few influencers it catches the attention of a larger audience and media.
Q: What would be your advice when it comes to handling crisis on social media channels? How should it be handled?
I believe one should stand for it and respond immediately even if there is no solution. You can always say I shall get back to you and find answers.
Q: How do you use social media as a tool for customer service? What is your take on ChatBots?
Chatbots are the best way to keep the audience informed and give them early choices in their quest of finding a solution from the brands or influencers. I have seen some really exhaustive chatbots from some of the top food delivery and travel websites which makes life lot easier, you don’t need people for everything today.
Q: Tell us about your workshops and the experience in Sri Lanka. To whom would you recommend to follow such workshops?
I love Sri Lanka and it is one of my favourite countries. Especially , I love the culture there and of course the people are very warm and welcoming. I have done five workshops in Sri Lanka so far and any uprising digital marketer or marketing managers and executives with immense interest in digital and social media marketing must attend my workshops.
Q: How would you describe the job availability for social media and related fields? Would you describe it as lucrative?
It is taking good shape especially in India. Sri Lanka is yet to mature. However, there is great scope to learn digital marketing and service clients across the world.
Q: Is social media FREE?
Yes, Social Media is FREE but Social Media Marketing is not. It requires good planning and investment. It might be cheaper than traditional marketing but it is definitely not free.
Q: How did you become an Influencer? Are there any codes for others to become one?
Pick a niche and keep researching, learning and sharing content with the world out there. There is no easy way to become an influencer, only constant effort and hard work can define you in the industry.
Q: What are the latest social media trends?
Latest social media marketing trends:
* Messenger marketing is the new cool.
* Whatsapp for business marketing is changing the industry.
* Instagram stories are where the innovation is taking place.