Even though customers expect your business to have a presence on social media, many CEO’s and small business owners remain sceptical that it provides any real value to the company. If you count yourself in that number, you may be surprised that there are very real benefits to actively engaging in social media.
This is what your business stands to gain from embracing social media:
1. Data that gives you valuable customer insights
For businesses, social media is more about listening than talking. Your social media platforms are constantly gathering valuable information about your customers, such as their age, gender, location and preferences.
You may even discover that you have different audiences on different platforms. Your typical Facebook fans could be older than your average Twitter follower. Or you could have more woman than men following your Pinterest boards. With this type of information you can
If you include the fact that you can track what types of content your followers respond to best, you can start crafting marketing campaigns that hit the mark every time.
2. Better ranking on search engines and more website traffic
Google may take your social media into account when calculating your site ranking, but it does pay attention to how many people are interacting with your business. If you’re getting eyeballs on your posts, that could signal to Google that your website is providing valuable information.
Don’t forget that you can use your social media to direct people to your website. From the links in your profiles to links on individual posts, there are many ways you can influence the amount of traffic your site gets.
3. A cost-effective way to increase brand awareness
These days, your customers are as likely to search for information on products and services using social media as they are to Google it. Being active on social media offers them the chance to discover and connect with your brand in a way they’re most comfortable with.
This can have a significant impact on your brand awareness, and if you manage it properly, you can develop a loyal following and turn fans into brand ambassadors.
4. A sure-fire way to retain existing customers
It always costs more to get a new customer than it does to keep an old one. Social media provides you with the perfect way to build and maintain a relationship with your clients. You can achieve this by using social media to provide your customers with added value. This is how you differentiate yourself from the competition, by continuing to educate, entertain and assist your customers long after the transaction has ended.
5. Better qualified leads
Increasing your website traffic is all well and good, but what you really want is qualified leads. You want customers who are ready to buy landing on your page with the intention of making a purchase.
Social media can help you reach and educate your customers at different points of the buying cycle. That way, when they’re ready to spend their money, they know exactly where to go.
6. Provide your customer with a richer experience
As stated in earlier, your customers really do expect you to be on social media. This doesn’t only apply to B2C business or retailers. Even within professions such as architecture, law or engineering, a social media presence can open new doors for your company.
Your customers want to use social media to find, contact and engage with you. It gives you the opportunity to share important information about your products, services, industry or company in a way that doesn’t feel pushy. It also allows you to respond to customers quickly, and fast response times are crucial for any service-orientated business.
If this doesn’t convince you that it’s worth investing in social media for your business, consider that there are currently 14 million active South African Facebook users. Imagine how it could impact your business if you could find a way to reach even a small percentage of these people.
Maintaining a presence on social media isn’t expensive or difficult. You can easily outsource your social media management to a digital marketing company such as Web Changes. From creating, curating and scheduling content right through to social media community management, we take all the hassle out of social media for you.
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