ne of the biggest (and most expensive) mistakes that people make when starting a new business is to ignore social media. This is not only true for individuals, but also for businesses - especially small ones. A lot of people think it's too hard or takes too much time, but the truth is that it doesn't take any more than five minutes a day to start building an audience on social media and getting your company out there in front of potential customers.
It can be difficult sometimes trying to figure out which platform you should use first, so we've narrowed down the list to ten reasons why your business should be using social media today!
- Increase Brand Awareness- With over half the world’s population using social media, platforms like Facebook and Twitter are a natural place to reach new potential customers. 83 percent of Instagram users say they discover products on this platform which means you might find someone who has never heard about your brand before checking out what kind of snacks or clothing line we have. When developing an advertising strategy for any business it is important not only to think outside the box but also consider all different forms that marketing materialization could take in order to get people's attention while still being creative enough so as not to appear too repetitive when presenting them with ads across various mediums.
- Humanize your brand- When it comes to social media for business, there are two key purposes. One is the ability to create real human connections with your followers and fans which can lead to a more meaningful relationship between themselves or other businesses in their niche of interests based on authenticity. The other purpose includes driving marketing receptiveness towards new customers through promoting one's brand values while also showcasing how existing products benefit people who use/buy from you (this helps build trust).
- Stay on top of mind- Social media is a place where you can connect with your fans and followers on demand, at any time of day or night. You should use this opportunity to be entertaining but also informative so that they will continue following what’s going in the world through their social channels. Planning out content ahead of time through scheduling tools such as Hootsuite makes sure there are no gaps between when people see new posts from brands.
- Increase website traffic-Social media is a powerful medium to reach your readers. Sharing content from the blog and using UTM tags help track data on where visitors came through, which will give you insights about their interests for future posts.
- Generate Leads- Social media is a valuable resource for businesses looking to reach new customers. Social networks offer many different ways that you can connect with those who may be interested in your products or services, from an easy form on Facebook all the way up through paid advertising options like social ads and lead generation campaigns which collect contact information directly from people as they engage with content CPNs provide regular updates about health care issues so it's important to have top-of-the-line equipment if one wants their company perceived positively by potential clients.
- Boost sales- Your social media accounts are a critical part of your sales funnel—the process through which a new contact becomes a customer. This is called "social selling" and you should be doing it! As the number of people using social networks continues to grow, so too will their importance in product searches online or at stores near them. The time has come for marketers seeking alignment with these goals by integrating marketing efforts across all channels as they continue evolving into something even more powerful than ever before: i) Inbound Marketing ii) Outbound Sales.
- Partner with an influencer- When you partner with influencers, they can draw in viewers for your product or service. They're also great at driving social word of mouth because their followers will talk about it on different platforms.
- Customer and audience engagement- Social networks are the best way to connect with your customers and fans. Unlike traditional media, which offers only one-way communication, social media is a two-way street! Be active on all of your accounts so you can engage them in an appropriate manner for both parties involved - whether they be followers or Haveners alike. You should also monitor what people say about you across different platforms like Facebook posts, tweets, etc., as this will help keep track of any trends emerging online before it's too late.
- Stay on top of industry news- In the online world, things move fast—and you can't afford to be left behind. Keeping a virtual ear to the ground through social listening is an easy way of staying informed about upcoming changes in your industry that may affect how business is done for thematic years ahead
- Customer service and customer support- Brands that want to stay ahead of social media trends need a customer service platform like Hootsuite's Sparkcentral. This tool can help you handle incoming messages across all your accounts, including Facebook Messenger™ and Twitter direct message services as well as email or text messaging programs such as WhatsApp®, Viber™, etc., so customers know they're getting the best experience possible from every channel.