With more than 3.6 billion people using social media worldwide, it is undoubtedly an essential channel for businesses or all shapes and sizes but particularly for SME’s and one which should be a vital part of your marketing strategy. Social media enables you to gain exposure for your brand, drive traffic to your website and ultimately, reach different target audiences in a personable, informative and entertaining way.

Social media allows your brand’s messaging to be directed to the right audience at the right time and allows you to engage with a variety of potential customers almost instantly. Reputation is an important part of any brand and a strong social media presence can help you build and maintain a positive image for your business.

There are various social media platforms available, with some more relevant than others dependant on your target market. For example, B2C businesses largely benefit from visual sites such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest. B2B businesses can also benefit from these social media sites but are more likely to utilise professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn.

With a multitude of different platforms to choose from, it has never been easier to use social media to attract new audiences and support your lead generation and business goals. If you’re not taking advantage of the opportunities social media can offer, you are missing out on a quick and cost-effective way to bring you closer to your audience.

Here are some benefits of using social media for your business.

Increases Brand Awareness

The most obvious way social media can aid your business is through exposure. Any form of interaction with your content, whether through likes, shares, or comments, promotes your brand among the vast amounts of people who use social media daily.

Having a brand presence on social media is a great way to increase visibility and allows for various types of audiences to engage with your products or services. This can lead to an increase in leads, customer advocacy and ultimately, an increase in interest in your product and sales.

Build Relationships

In the virtual world in which we live, social media is an innovative creation which allows us to engage and connect with others without geographical limitation. You can connect both privately through instant messaging, and publicly, through comments, stories, videos etc. This allows you to have valuable interactions with your customers.

Sharing content such as photos and videos, for example, is a great way to keep customers and potential customers up to date with your latest events and offers. This sharing of information both builds and maintains vital relationships with customers, adding a personal element to your business and ensuring that your customers feel valued, encouraging them to build trust and loyalty towards your brand.

Promote/Sell Products

Social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram both have integrated e-commerce elements, allowing you to link your customers directly to your online shop. This provides a great user experience for your customers, allowing them to find what they’re looking for with ease and provides a business with smart analytics to track customers.

Content is key when promoting products through social media; engaging, legitimate content is more likely to capture your audience’s attention and encourage them to visit your website, ultimately, driving more traffic and increasing the likelihood of sales.

Increase Traffic to Your Website

Social media is an effective way to drive customers to your website both through direct links and posts which navigate customers to a relevant landing page.

It could be that a user comes across your social media profile and quickly learns that your products or services are relevant to their interests. Without knowing your brand and what you offer, it is unlikely that they would have searched for your business directly, whereas with social media, your exposure is significantly greater and many more leads are likely to be generated.

Carry Out Market Research

Social media allows you to directly engage with those people buying your products or services. This means, when you are carrying out market research; for example, finding out what products customers are interested in or how you could provide a better experience, there is no better place to find out than directly from your followers themselves.

You can appeal directly to your social media followers by asking them to comment and provide their feedback, or you can even create polls which is a really simple and visual way to collect valuable data.

Cost-Effective Advertising

As many social media accounts are free to set up, social media marketing is highly cost-effective.

Paid advertising through social media is a great and cost-effective way to promote your business; you are able to set a budget and can track the money you spend. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram also allow you to advertise with a specific audience in mind, meaning you are putting your resources into bespoke target audiences  who are most likely to become leads and customers.

Need more Advice on Social Media Marketing?

Here at All Things Web, we can train you and your employees in social media, sharing practical tips and expert advice which you can put into practise from day one.

If you do not have the time or inhouse resources, or simply would rather outsource your social media marketing, then why not get in touch with a member of our team to discuss designing and delivering your social media strategy?

Still Have Questions?

Do not hesitate to contact us on 01285 50 55 50.