Social media are taking over the world. This is a commonly known truth today. According to Statista, 2.46 billion people worldwide use different kinds of social media as of 2017. And this number is expected to grow up to 3.02 billion by 2021. With stats like this, there’s nothing surprising in the fact that social media has changed not only the conventional patterns of interpersonal communication, but also the way people approach business.
Reasons to know more about social media marketing
Social media marketing is rapidly gaining popularity among businesses of any scale. Just take a look at statistic data:
- 50 million businesses use Facebook business pages;
- 49% of monthly Twitter users follow brands and companies;
- 66% of content ‘pinned’ on Pinterest originates from brand websites;
- 68% of Instagram users regularly engage with brands;
- 94% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn to share content.
No need to be a marketing expert to notice that social media is becoming a key focus for worldwide brands to boost their sales.
Apart from popular services like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and others, more and more businesses turn to personalized solutions that allow to create a social network representing a certain brand and serving as an online community for both customers and employees. Social website building platforms like Ning provide tools required for a task like this.
The bottom line is, it is time for small and medium businesses to adapt and benefit from the situation at hand. Social media marketing proves to be an effective, inexpensive, and low – risk solution to take one step closer to your target audience – so there’s no reason not to get a better insight into it.
How can social media help you promote your business?
The key to the successful promotion of your brand is constantly staying in the public eye. Social media allow you to be there for your customers all the time.
From a customer’s point of view, contacting a company through a social network is much easier than visiting a physical location or making a phone call. Communication on social networks is more informal, more personal – and it makes customers feel more engaged.
It is reported that 59% of American citizens who have social media accounts agree that it is easier to resolve problems by contacting customer support via social media. People usually check their social accounts at least once a day, so taking a moment to get in touch with a brand is actually the easiest way to get answers to your questions.
Undeniably, social media have become a daily routine for a vast majority of internet users. Being a brand, you can’t afford yourself losing an opportunity to stay in sight of your customers on a day-to-day basis.
Moreover, using social media is one of the most effective ways of sharing your content. Your news, blogs, events, updates, and promotion activities can reach your target audience much faster through social networks. Thanks to social media, you can show your subscribers something new and engaging, more frequently.
And the last but not least, keeping in touch with your customers by means of social media gives you an access to a permanent source of feedback that you can use to monitor your audience’s needs and concerns, as well as improve your product.
Summarizing everything that has been noted above, social media marketing can help you enhance several aspects of your business, including:
- Communication with the clientele;
- Customer support;
- Brand awareness;
- Outreach;
- Audience targeting;
- Acquisition of feedback.
5 things to keep in mind approaching social media marketing
To achieve your business goals with social media marketing, it is important to follow few simple rules. It is important to approach your own brand from a customer’s point of view. Consider how you’d like to interact with your brand if you were a potential buyer who uses social media to connect with the world.
- Show your real face
Let people see what your brand is all about. Be honest and open. Following brands on social networks, users tend to personalize them. So make sure your image conveys the message you would like to get across. The communication with your brand should always leave a pleasant aftertaste. - Select proper platforms
With such a variety of social networks available today, it is pretty impossible to be on all of them at once. For this reason, you have to pick only those that would fit your business and marketing strategy. Decide what you are going to focus on. Will it be blogging, posting short messages, photos, videos, podcasts, or all at once? As soon as you figure it out, you can select social networks that match your needs.
The most popular social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn will be an obvious choice for you. Alternatively, you can create your own social network website that would function on your own terms and have a set of features you find most useful. For example, a Ning network can serve both as a comprehensive business website and online community which can be easily integrated with the accounts on popular social media. In this way, you can considerably expand your reach. - Share something of value
Letting your subscribers know about new products, services, and special offers will certainly be a cornerstone of your marketing strategy. But don’t forget to keep your audience engaged, stir up the public interest in your brand. It’s vital to release useful content every now and then, something your followers can apply in real life, be it some helpful tips, cooking recipes, video tutorials – anything that goes in line with your business. - Stay in the spotlight
Be consistent and don’t let people forget you. Regularity is a key to staying relevant. So make sure you post new content all the time. It is also a good idea to schedule your releases in advance. Make a content plan to keep the wheels turning. - Don’t get annoying and repetitive
As recent reports show, most users unfollow brands on social media because they either post too frequently or get too repetitive with their content. To avoid this, try to keep things in moderation, don’t be too active – your objective is keeping users engaged and entertained, rather than getting under their skin.
So what do you say? Ready to get social with your business? Social media marketing can bring you closer to your target audience and help your brand stay visible. And the good news is, it takes less time and money than you may think. With a right approach, you will be able to increase your clientele and make your business more profitable in a matter of months.