7 in 10 Americans use social media.
If your business is not on social media, you are missing a major marketing opportunity. Marketing through social media allows a unique connection with customers, unlike any other channel.
Fortunately, it’s never too late to establish your business on social media and reach new audiences.
If you’re still not sure if your business needs social media, keep reading for some of the top benefits of social media marketing.
Promote Your Brand
Being active on social media is just as important as having your own website.
When considering making a purchase, consumers turn to social media. Facebook and Instagram are the most popular social networks right now. When you have a Facebook page, you have a direct line of communication with new and current clients.
Facebook users can “like” and “follow” your page and your posts will show up in their personal news feeds. Your Facebook page should contain basic information about your company, including contact information and a link to your website.
However, Facebook allows you to take your marketing to the next level. Use your Facebook page to market directly to your audience.
You can create posts and share content that spreads a message about your products and services. Since users can share your posts to their own timelines, your content will reach a wide audience. With your own social media pages, you have the power to tell your story in a unique way.
Earn Trust
When potential clients are deciding who to do business with, they are going to do their research first.
They will most likely search for you on Google, but they won’t stop there. These days, failing to be present on social media discredits a business.
Social media has been around for some time now and reputable businesses are well established on the platforms. If you haven’t started using social media for your business, you are behind your competition.
To many clients, it might appear as a red flag if you aren’t on their favorite social media network.
It’s not enough to simply have a page, you need to keep it updated. Social media users, which encompass just about every age group, enjoy engaging with their favorite businesses on social media and develop trust in the company during that process.
Customer Referrals
Social media also acts as social proof that attracts potential customers because they can see those other users like and know your business.
Social media acts as a referral service. You should post content that is highly sharable to get your current followers to spread the word about your company.
Social media is a great platform to host referral contests. You can offer incentives for users to tag their friends in your posts.
People are more connected on social media than they are in real life. Social media is the modern word of mouth.
When it Comes to Google
Google is still the number one way people will find your business online. But when you have social media pages, you show up in more search results on Google.
If you only have a website, Google users will only see one link to your business. If you have several social media pages, the links to those will show up in the search results as well.
This means that potential clients don’t have to search for you directly on a social media platform to find your page. It also increases your visibility on Google and increases traffic to the sites you control.
The more links to your business that users see, the more likely they are to click on one.
Taking the Next Step
More important than getting potential customers to your website is getting them to purchase your product or service, also called website sales conversion rates.
Social media increases website sales conversion rates in a few ways. Using social media to market your business gives your brand an edge by giving it a personality.
Potential customers will connect with your brand on a deeper level by following your story on social media. This leads to increased brand loyalty, which leads to better sales conversion rates.
Customer Retention
Using social media is one of the easiest ways to follow up with existing customers and encourage repeat sales.
Without having to do any extra work, your general social media marketing efforts will also work to increase customer retention. When your customers follow you on social media, so long as you are regularly posting and keeping your page updated, you are constantly in their feeds and their minds.
One of the hardest parts of customer retention is staying relevant. Email marketing is a traditional way to remind customers of your business, but this method isn’t very natural.
When you have a strong social media presence, your customers will follow your pages and your story and will be reminded of your brand without being overtly asked to buy your products.
Developing New Relationships
One of the coolest things about social media is how it allows you to connect with people and businesses you probably wouldn’t meet otherwise.
This can be a huge benefit to your business by putting you in touch with potential business partners. Having a good social media presence will bring you opportunities to promote your business through shared content partnerships. This could also lead to referral partnerships.
If you aren’t on social media, not only will you miss out on these opportunities, but other businesses might see you in a negative light.
More Benefits of Social Media Marketing
These are only a few of the many benefits of social media marketing.
Using social media to market your business allows you to diversify your marketing and connect with many new audiences.
However, it’s important that you have a solid strategy. You would benefit from consulting with a marketing professional to ensure your social media marketing campaign will achieve results.
Contact us today for a free consultation.