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You may be tempted to ignore social media, but to be a successful business today, having a social media presence is important to your marketing efforts. Ten years ago, there were roughly 970 million social media users, but today that number is up to 4.48 billion, and the number continues to grow. It is no longer a question of whether or not to participate, but rather which platform will reach your target audience most effectively.
Successful businesses in home services, legal and more realize how important social media is and leverage it to expose their brand to the masses. Social media platforms have varying advantages, but for any business, it is essential to use them for digital marketing, customer support, gathering data, and more. Additionally, it is a simple and low-risk way for your company to reach new audiences who may be interested in your brand and services.
Social media allows you to share great content without seeming too salesy and also it increases brand awareness. However, that's not the only benefit. When done correctly it can also help drive sales: Consumers who connect with brands on social media are loyal customers, with about nine out of 10 people saying they buy from companies they follow on social networks.
Still not convinced? Here are a few ways that social media can benefit your business. If you need help setting up your social media platforms, use this beginner's guide to social media.
Increase website traffic
Regardless of the platform you choose, linking your posts to your website is a no-brainer. This allows you to get readers to your blogs or articles as soon as it's published. Social media channels are the best place to share expert information with people who are looking for it. Utilize UTM tracking tags to identify which content is working well and what isn't, allowing you to develop better content to drive more traffic to your website.
It is important to create eye-catching content to grab users' attention and drive them to your website. For example, on Instagram, you can use the "link in bio" strategy which promotes content on Instagram but requires the user to go to a link to get the full content. In one study performed, Parse.ly found an additional 10-15% of website traffic coming from Instagram.
Promote content
You can post items on your social media and wait for people to find them organically, and you can also create ads to reach specific audiences on social media that you may not have otherwise. When existing customers or followers end up sharing or commenting on a promoted post or social ad, their own network is exposed to your content and is more likely to convert from a referral from someone they know. Every piece of content has the potential to reach new audiences and customers.
Using social media advertising can be cost-effective, and will provide metrics and additional customer insights. Running ads can be a learning curve but they will usually offer free guidance and can help when creating new marketing campaigns. Each platform wants you to succeed since that will likely lead to more advertising spending.
Brand awareness
Brand awareness is crucial as you continue to grow your local business. It's more than just people recognizing who you are and what you sell. Higher levels of brand awareness evoke emotions and feelings in a consumer. In other words, no matter if it's helpful information or an amusing story, you're getting your brand out there and building brand loyalty with your potential customers.
Educating your customers about your brand doesn’t need to be lengthy or complicated. The more clear and direct your brand, the more likely your customers will be to engage with it. As social media attention spans continue to decrease, short-form or “snackable content” is becoming increasingly popular. Content about your brand that is straightforward and easily digestible can be passively consumed and shared. The most successful social media posts are visually engaging and offer immediate entertainment to the user.
Reputation management
The more people become aware of your brand, the more they will want to engage with it on social media by asking questions, leaving reviews, or commenting. Whether they are good or bad, responding to your audience is crucial. Social media posts or reviews about your brand can be used to highlight the positive and tackle the negative before problems arise. There's no perfect way to respond to a bad review, but you must respond even if it means admitting your mistake:
The owner apologizes and comes up with a solution. This demonstrates the owner's integrity and how much they value their customers. It may not be the most enjoyable task you're assigned, but responding to negative reviews allows you to prove your dedication to solving their problems or internal issues. According to a survey, 96% of people who read reviews of local businesses also read the business’s response. There are going to be mistakes, but how you respond to them is what matters most.
Competitor research
Competitor research is an important component in any marketing campaign. You can use social media to uncover your competitors' pain points and to identify opportunities for your business. This type of research also helps you understand what sets you apart from them. Whatever your products or services are, you need to call out why customers should choose you over the competition. Customers are more likely to pay attention to solutions to their problems.
Competitor research doesn't always have to be expensive, time-consuming, or complicated. There are tools that allow you to follow your competitors and understand how they use social media, how they interact with customers, and more.
Scorpion and other social media management platforms can help you gain a better understanding of what you're up against. This is an ongoing process but over time it will deepen your understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and help you better target new customers.
It's not too late
Successful marketers, entrepreneurs, and CEOs realize how important social media is and leverage it to expose their brands to the masses. Social media platforms have varying advantages, but for any business, it is essential to leverage them for your success. Additionally, it is a simple and low-risk way for your company to reach new audiences who may be interested in your brand and products.
The best way to start using social media for your business is to start now. If you need a partner to help with your social media, check out Scorpion. We have the team and technology to run great social media campaigns for you so you have time to run your best business.
Let's talk about social media. Schedule a consultation today.
