Why Social Media Marketing is Beneficial for Businesses
Social media marketing is something that all businesses should be doing, there is no question about it. However, it is very time-consuming and is therefore one of the first things that drops to the bottom of the pile when businesses get busy. In this digital era that we all live in, a social media presence is essential if you are wanting to grow your business. It should form an essential piece of your marketing strategy.
Not only do social media platforms allow you to connect with your customers, they also help to raise the profile of your business. With over 3.8 billion people using social media, can your business really afford not to have a presence? Although taking that first step can seem daunting, putting it off is not going to get you anywhere! You might even find yourself enjoying it, you never know. Here are some of the top reasons why social media marketing is beneficial for businesses.
Build awareness & get attention
If people aren’t aware of the products or services that your business offers, then how do they know to purchase from you? Social media is one of the best ways to reach a new, wider audience and increase the visibility of your brand.
Setting up these social media channels is fairly easy, and free. But the one thing many business owners struggle with is creating content that stands out. In a very crowded marketplace, you need to make sure your message is heard rather than that of your competitors. The best way to do this is by creating videos. It doesn’t matter what platform you decide to post on, videos are the most popular with social media algorithms. This means they are more likely to show the video to a wider audience, increasing the visibility of your brand.
Show authority
Consumers take the time to get to know the brands they are going to be purchasing from before they make that final decision. Social media is usually the first place they will look, so it is essential that your business has a presence on the platforms that they will be visiting. That is a very important point to address actually. You don’t have to have accounts on every social media account going. Think about what your business sells, and the platforms where your customers are likely to be. For example, a B2C eCommerce business is not going to benefit much from a LinkedIn page to promote their products; Instagram and Facebook would be more suitable.
Going back to authority, another thing to bear in mind is that you need to be updating your social media channels regularly. This is in order to build up that trust with potential customers. First impressions really count here, so if someone visits one of your social media platforms and you haven’t posted for months, they may question whether you are even in business still.
Build Relationships With Customers
If you are new to the world of corporate social media, one thing to understand is that people aren’t interested in posts that are constantly selling your products. They want to see the personality behind your brand. So, you should pay particular attention to the tone of voice used within your posts. Create content that your audience can relate to, and you will soon see your engagement levels increase.
Use this opportunity to tell your story and inspire your followers. Everyone who uses social media is nosey; so give them as much of an insight into your business as possible to help them build that bigger picture. Once you connect with them on that level, that will help to build trust and encourage them to purchase your product or services.
Increase Your Sales
At the end of the day, all business owners are focused on driving sales. Whilst the day-to-day, organic posts on social media shouldn’t be sales-driven, you can also run specific, targeted marketing campaigns on there too. These are known as ‘Sponsored Ads’. In comparison with other channels such as Google, they produce a higher return on investment for your budget.
Facebook is the world’s largest harvester of data and holds very detailed demographic information about all of its users. This means that you can tap into very specific audiences with your advertising. Which, will ultimately lead to more conversions and sales. Social media marketing is all about creating multiple touchpoints with potential customers. When the time comes and they are ready to make a purchase, your product or service is at the forefront of their minds.
Social Media Is Essential, Not Just Beneficial
So there you have it, our quick round-up of why social media marketing is beneficial for businesses. We would actually go as far as to say social media is essential for businesses these days, not just a nicety. Just take things one step at a time and build your profiles slowly, before starting to engage with your customers.
If you would like any information on how bringing in a digital marketing apprentice could really help with promoting your business online, get in touch with the team today by calling 01205 805155.
