Thanks to the ongoing pandemic of 2020/2021, many people have turned to social media to get the human interaction they are lacking. According to a Pew Research Center report, as of February 2021, 72% of US adults use some type of social media. That doesn’t even include the 90% of teens age 13-17 that are using social media as well. That’s a lot of active users, and your business deserves a piece of that very large pie.
Here are a few ways your business can benefit from having a social media presence:
Increase Awareness of Your Brand
A presence on the social media platforms your audience frequents most will give you more opportunities to get your brand in front of them. Whether you are posting your own content or paying to run your ads on the platform, more eyes will be on your business. The more times a potential customer sees your brand the more likely they are to think of you when they have a need you can fulfill.
Increase Website Traffic
Increasing brand awareness will typically cause a lift in website traffic. That’s because users who see your brand’s activities on social media are likely to be enticed to click through to your website to learn more about what your business has to offer. Using social media for the promotion of sales and discounts your business is running is another way you can get users to click through to your website.
Humanize Your Brand
Social media gives businesses a unique channel to show the human side of their brand. You can highlight team members and team events or accomplishments, share insight into what makes your business run on a day to day basis, and announce company milestones and achievements – to name just a few ways to show your brand’s personality. This can double as a way to not only attract and retain customers but also to attract talented individuals to any open positions you might have at your company.
Another way to establish a human connection is for brands to share their values and how their actions support them. Now more than ever, consumers expect more from brands than to just produce quality goods and services. They want to know that their money is being spent with an organization that has values that align with their own.
Engage Directly With Your Audience
Unlike other forms of traditional advertising, social media marketing is meant to be a conversation. You can create a path for communication by monitoring what people are saying about your business and responding to comments and questions. These conversations can be had in real-time, allowing people to witness your company’s dedication to customer service. Having an avenue for customers to leave positive feedback that is visible to others is the digital version of word-of-mouth advertising.
Build a Trusted Brand Reputation
A strong and strategic social media presence can confirm the legitimacy of your business. By sharing your business’s industry knowledge via educational content you can establish your brand as a thought leader. Engaging in helpful conversations with your audience can further support your reputation as a go-to source.
Improve SEO Rankings
While social media does not have a direct effect on SEO rankings it does have an indirect effect. When your audience shares and engages with your educational content, it generates signals indicating that your posts are useful. Search engines then use these signals to rank your website. Social media pages and posts may also turn up in a user’s online search for keywords related to your content.
Generate Leads
Social media is also a useful tool for generating leads. Make sure you provide your contact information and have call-to-actions buttons on your page to make it easy for people to reach out and learn more about your business.
Cost Effective
Since a lot of social media marketing can be done on your own, it is fairly cost effective. Due to the highly targetable nature of social media marketing, paid advertising can have a higher return on investment than other traditional marketing tactics.
All these benefits add up to one thing – a boost in your bottom line. In today’s digital age, your business cannot afford to miss the opportunities social media offers.
If you’ve made it this far and are feeling overwhelmed at the idea of creating and maintaining a social presence, River Valley Media Group can help! Our seasoned team is ready to guide you through this complex landscape.