Let us start with one undeniable fact: every business, whether it’s a startup or an established brand, needs a strong social media presence to grow in this increasingly digitized world. If you think that a major marketing campaign will be enough to give your business the exposure it needs to thrive, consider the fact that over 3 billion people across the globe use different social media platforms every month. It’s no passing trend, so you might want to keep up with the times and become part of the social media world.
But why exactly is it so important? Read on to find out.
Building Brand Awareness
Nearly half of the world’s population is currently using social media platforms, which makes them an obvious means of boosting your visibility among a wider audience. Consequently, this will translate into increased profit down the road. Many new business owners who haven’t gone social yet are discouraged by the prospect, thinking that people will only follow brands they already know about on social media, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, statistics show that approximately 60% of Instagram users claim to have discovered new products through the platform.
Establishing Authority
With hundreds of thousands of brands all selling the same products, customers are now becoming more selective about which businesses they support. Before making a purchase, they’ll do a quick search to browse your website and social media pages. But what if you have a weak, or no, presence on social media? Think about it; would you expect people to walk into your shop if your storefront is empty? Finding an experienced digital marketing provider and setting up robust profiles on the platforms most relevant to your target audience will help build your brand’s authority. A digital marketing expert will keep your profiles frequently updated with relevant content to reflect a trustworthy, reliable, and approachable brand image.
Humanizing Your Brand
The ability to build lasting human connections in the virtual realm is one of the most important benefits of social media for businesses. Yes, your main purpose as a business owner is to generate profit, but approaching your target audience with that mindset will only drive them away. They want to see the real people behind the company, and social media platforms are the perfect outlet to let your brand’s persona shine. To truly connect with your customers, you need to make sure that everything on your social media pages, from the posts to the captions, represents who you are. So, find your voice, whether it’s casual and funny or formal and friendly, and use it to express your brand values.
Market Research
Your prospective clients aren’t the only ones on social media; chances are, your competitors are online too. This gives you a great opportunity to collect valuable, real-time data about both your customers and competitors. You can then use this information to make smarter business decisions. By observing the activities on your profile, you can better understand your customers’ interests, needs, and opinions. Moreover, you can learn about the latest trends and marketing techniques from your competitors and make sure you’re always informed about upcoming changes in your industry. Not only does this give you a better understanding of your niche, but it also provides valuable insight into your brand, allowing you to tailor your marketing strategy to connect more effectively with your audience.
Providing Customer Support
Social media platforms have made businesses more accessible by successfully breaking down the barriers between companies and their customers. Gone are the days when people have to call a customer support line to submit a complaint or inquire about a service; nowadays, most people turn to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to find information or get in touch with a brand. By being active and responsive on social media, you can offer support through your profiles, increase your visibility, attract new followers, show your credibility, and develop a reputation as a caring brand.
Staying Relevant
Most people check their social media accounts at least once a day, and having a presence on the right channels gives you the opportunity to connect with your audience every time they log in— but only if you share entertaining and informative content. This will help you establish top-of-mind awareness, meaning that your business will be the first thing that pops into your followers’ minds whenever they think about a service or product similar to the one you offer.
No matter what you’re offering, social media can help you sell it. It doesn’t matter if you run a small local business or a big international company, if you don’t take advantage of social media, you’ll be missing out on an invaluable opportunity to reach almost half of the world’s population both quickly and effectively. With all these advantages in mind, it’s about time that social media becomes an integral part of your marketing strategy. The earlier you start, the faster you can see your business grow.
