For any business wondering when is the right time to make an effort with social media, the answer is right now.
Social media is a lot of fun and games, memes and viral videos, and online communities for things you’ve never heard of. But among all the seemingly trivial aspects of social media are real business opportunities.
Social media has not only changed the way people do business, but it has also created previously non-existent marketing opportunities. Today, businesses have a way to reach a large audience with the click of a single button. Whether working with an advertisement, product or service description, or simply messaging a customer, their efforts are fast, far-reaching, and cost-efficient.
Not every business can afford a large marketing budget, but social media can help them get the most value for their money. Businesses have the opportunity to grow by simply posting interesting, informative, or relatable content regularly. Not only will posting create traffic to your business’s website, but it will also create a community of lifelong customers.
Social media provides immense business potential because consumers habitually check platforms daily and are exposed to branded content when they do. This exposure is important because 55% of consumers learn about new bands on social media. So if your business isn’t taking advantage of social media, those users will likely discover your competitors.
As more than half of people on earth now use social media (58.4%), even small businesses should ensure they are taking advantage of platforms like Facebook and Instagram to market their products or services. Using these digital forums lets you maximize your reach to potential customers, the same way major corporations do with television ads.
Though it might seem daunting for local businesses to break into social media and go up against bigger businesses, it isn’t. Social media allows small businesses to engage with their communities of present and future customers, and vice versa.
Social media empowers and encourages dialogue, giving customers a unique chance to engage with a business. This engagement creates a strong customer-business relationship. Businesses that engage with customers are better suited to serve their customers’ needs and better at personalizing their content to forge deeper connections with customers.
Garnering a relationship through social media can directly lead to sales. Research shows that 78% of consumers are willing to buy from a company after having a positive experience with them on social media.
By being vigilant on social media and engaging with customers, businesses can create an image of their brand so that it is the first thing a customer thinks of when they think about a certain product or service. This relationship can be significant in converting a non-customer into a loyal and lifelong one.
Social media has also made getting information about customers easier. Through social media, businesses can access different tools to see how many visitors were interested in the shared content, how many clicked on a call to action, and how many purchased a product or service. Stats like these help build a customized audience where businesses can target the people most interested in their product.
The data that comes from social media is so important that 72% of companies use it to inform their business decisions. And that number will only continue to grow because of the wealth of insights that it provides to businesses.
Social media is changing the way people do things in many different ways. And business is no different. It has become a full-blown tool to market a brand and generate sales and relationships. So, what are you waiting for? Take the first step: make a profile and start engaging with your customers.
Need help creating a social presence?
Contact Stephen Donnelly & Associates at sd@sdamktg.com–we can’t wait to chat!