If someone asked this question 5 years ago today, chances are that they would’ve been laughed off. But now? Social media is indispensible. For every corporate and non-corporate concern, social media is proving to be a driving force in their goals.
In 2013, 86% of the marketers stated that social media is very much a part of their business. Because social media gives brands a much greater exposure than other traditional marketing channels, its viability is never questioned.
Social media works when a business is clear about what it’s all about and how they can benefit you.
“…if you used social media in a vague manner, then the benefits would be minimal. However, targeting the right crowd, communities, speaking to the right groups can connect you with the right people.” – Corca Ltd.
Social media marketing for your business gives you some pretty great benefits:
- More traffic for your website or brand pages.
- Nurturing loyal fans who can turn into brand ambassadors for you.
- More sales for your products and services.
- Marketplace insight – you can see demographical data and determine the best plans to reach the ideal customer.
- Improved search ranking – Want your brand website to be at the top of the internet search results? Get into social media marketing.
- Economical – Social media marketing cuts down your marketing expenses significantly.
- Personalized customer service – all queries can be attended to instantly and courteously, letting your brand generate customer rapport and trust in no time at all.
Social media isn’t something to be scoffed at. Facebook alone has some 1 billion plus active users daily. Other social media networks such as Instagram and Twitter share 200 million daily users apiece. Pinterest and Snapchat are increasingly courted by brands to reach their consumers in interesting ways. You’d be remiss to find the average internet user without a social media account these days. In fact, social is ranked as the top internet activity, with users spending half an hour almost on them on average.
‘You can’t do much of anything in a communications-based business without strong social communications skills.’ – Christopher Carroll
The mobile revolution has made social all the more valuable, since people can check out the latest social media updates from the comfort of their handheld devices, thanks to technology like responsive design.
To conclude, social media should be ignored at your own peril. It has far-reaching business implications that become evident from the moment you opt for it.
