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Using social media as a business tool has helped many brands reach a much wider consumer base. Offering those consumers a free way to try something new is an effective and popular method to increase awareness. The old fashioned word of mouth advertising has undergone a digital update with the power of social media. Friends and associates can share their opinions of companies and products more quickly than ever before. By offering some incentive for their participation in an advertising campaign, it's easy to convert a curious potential customer into a spokesperson to their friends and family. When a user clicks a link on a social media site like facebook or twitter, giving them a simple and easy way to notify their friends or followers of your site is vital. A 'Share' button can allow the user to alert their network instantly that they've taken an interest in your website. Offering them some reward for sharing it such as a contest or free sample will increase their likelihood of clicking. Interactivity is an important measure of success in social media marketing. If your audience has reason to share their thoughts on your page, it's a powerful way of gauging the success of your marketing campaign. Be careful of posting only advertising type messages, try to include sociability into your social marketing for an approachable and friendly presence and will boost your page's interaction rates.

The word 'free' is like a gleaming beacon that captures the attention of consumers. Use it carefully, the power of a free offer is two-sided. If demand for a free item outweighs supply, that can lead to disappointed customers with a decreased trust and opinion of your brand. Marketing your offering as a contest and giving out fewer but more valued items is a good way to combat the risk of a runaway campaign. The potential customers will still visit and share your page in hopes of winning a full-sized product, and fewer will be disappointed by not winning a contest than by not receiving a sample they requested.

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