Being active on social media is crucial for businesses. Studies show an increase in social media usage in 2020, both nationally and globally. According to the latest social media usage statistics, social media users are now spending an average of 2 hours and 24 minutes per day on an average of 8 social media networks. Among the most popular social media platforms are Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest.
Prior to the C-19 worldwide pandemic, social media usage was already on the rise. After many businesses and schools shut down, more people stayed home to quarantine. A new world of online services opened up as companies became more creative. Consumers naturally turned to social media for shopping and inspiration. People looking for recommendations to hire a contractor for a remodel often turned to social media ideas and reviews. Those contacts would share the website of the service they recommended.
A trending career has been that of the social media influencer. An influencer is usually someone with a very active social media presence and a multitude of followers. An influencer gets paid to recommend or feature products and services that they love. And, while many stores closed during the quarantine, many stores turned to social media to increase their online sales.
7 Advantages of Social Media for Business
There are many benefits of social media marketing for businesses. Let’s take a look at seven main advantages to using social media for marketing your business:
Get free reach/advertising.
You can choose to take advantage of free marketing, also known as organic social marketing. There are also paid advertising platforms options.
Increase your brand awareness.
Social media for business is a great way to get your name and brand out there and find new clients. Having a social media presence can get you noticed. Keep your posts entertaining and informative to grab attention and gain followers. Every time your followers check their social media, there’s a chance they’ll see your newest content in their feeds. This keeps you at the top of their mind when they are looking for your services or products.
Increase your website traffic.
Your social media posts and ads are the pivotal way to drive traffic to your website. Share relevant content from your blog posts or website to your social channels. Showcase your expertise, gain visibility, and drive people to your site. Participate in social chats on Twitter or Facebook and LinkedIn groups. This can add value and develop trust among your followers. Don’t try to be too promotional, but allow your readers and followers to know you and trust your reputation. Include your website link on your social media profiles and blog posts so that people can learn more about you.
Generate more leads.
A social media lead is a low-key way to gather information that an interested participant shares. There are many ways to generate leads, depending on which social media platform you use. The goal is to create an interest for users to provide you with their contact information. You can follow up and keep in touch with them through your newsletter or email campaign. Keeping you at the forefront of their mind and building trust will have them coming to your business as needed.
Promote your content and boost your sales.
Your social accounts are a critical part of your sales funnel, the process in which a lead becomes a customer. Showcase your product and services with a catchy ad or free offer to get leads clicking on your website and sharing their information with you to get into your sales funnel.
Appeal to younger generations as potential clients.
Millennials and Generation Z are the newest generations coming on as clients and customers these days. These are the same generations that are leading the masses on all social media platforms. If you can communicate with them in their most natural setting, you will have a better shot at getting their business. Many of these generations are first and second-time home buyers who have a strong interest in building wealth.
Provide better customer service.
Your social media presence provides a more natural way for customers or potential customers to contact you, but this is also a great way to get feedback or address potential concerns. You will need to be very responsive to social media messages and check daily for any contacts posing a question or concern about your business. Respond to any negative feedback with kindness and offer a way to make it right, and you will gain respect from others as well as the person who has an issue to address.
If all of this sounds appealing to you, but you lack the time and expertise in social media marketing, consider hiring a Virtual Expert (VE). You can hire one who specializes in social media marketing and management. Your virtual assistant/marketing expert can handle your blogging, social media set up and posting as well as manage your accounts for you. This can allow you to have more time to devote to the core business functions that you do best. Don’t waste another minute stressing over your social media presence when you can leave it to an expert who will partner with you and your business and give you back your time freedom.
