The year is quickly coming to a close, and as we prepare for Thanksgiving it’s important to remember all of the things we have come to appreciate in 2019. It takes a lot to run a business, but here you are – still working hard at it! Whether it’s your first year or your 50th, it shouldn’t be difficult to recognize all that helped get you to where you are today.
Be thankful for your staff, who work with you each day to help you reach your goals and make your dream a reality. Be thankful for motivation, no matter the source, that keeps you getting out of bed every morning to ensure your business stays up and running. Be thankful for the customers that use your services and purchase your products, because without them, where would you be?
As professionals in the online marketing industry, we’re considering all of the tools we have used this year that have helped us successfully market our clients’ businesses online.
One of the marketing tools we use the most is SOCIAL MEDIA. If you haven’t yet discovered all that social media can do for your business, take a look at the reasons we’re so thankful for it this year!
Reason #1: It allows businesses to increase brand awareness. Over 70% of Americans are currently using social media, and 60% of Instagram users alone claim to find new brands and products to purchase from on the platform.
Reason #2: Businesses can engage with their customers. You can interact directly with your customers and build relationships with them by responding to their comments and answering any questions they may have. Ask for their feedback on specific products or services to increase trust and brand loyalty.
Reason #3: You can manage your brand’s reputation. You can use what your customers are already saying about your brand to your advantage by highlighting the good reviews and by taking action when a bad review appears to avoid it turning into a major problem.
Reason #4: It’s a great way to provide customer service and support. Research has shown that if a customer receives a response from a brand within five minutes, they are more likely to pay a little bit more on a later purchase.
Reason #5: Social media is great for source content. Instead of wondering what to post, directly ask your customers what they want to see and post content based on their responses.
Reason #6: It’s a way to generate leads. Social media is one of the cheapest and easiest ways for potential customers to discover your business and express interest in your products.
Reason #7: It allows for targeted advertising. To target the right kind of audience, many major social media platforms offer inexpensive social ads with detailed targeting options, allowing you to refine your audience and advertise to those most likely to use your products or services.
Reason #8: Social media allows you to learn more about your customers. You can utilize social media analytics to gain insight about the people interacting with your business online.
Reason #9: It allows businesses to keep an eye on the competition. Because social media is public, you can see what people are saying about your competitors and evaluate their strategies to see what’s working for them and what’s not.
Reason #10: It increases website traffic. Businesses can use social media to highlight and share things from their website, as well as publish posts with direct links to their homepage.
Reason #11: You have the chance to go viral. As people like, comment on, and share your content, more users from various social networks have the chance to view what you are posting.
Reason #12: It helps businesses stay on consumers’ minds. With so many consumers logging onto social media at least once per day, posting content regularly gives your business the opportunity to stay relevant.
Reason #13: Businesses can retarget their customers. Using tracking tools allows businesses to run ads for the exact products that customers have already browsed for or placed in their carts but never bought.
Reason #14: It’s a good way to stay on top of industry news. Trends change quickly and constantly, and social media allows you to stay up to date on the latest changes that affect your industry.
Reason #15: You can use it to know how people are feeling about your brand. If your brand is receiving a lot of mentions with negative content, it allows you to reevaluate what your brand is doing and take the necessary actions to correct any issues.
Simply having a social media profile for your business obviously doesn’t cut it in today’s online world. You must put the time and effort into creating, perfecting, and executing a successful social media strategy in accordance with day-to-day trends and current digital marketing techniques.
Don’t have the time or experience to swing it? Advantage Internet Marketing is here for you. Social media marketing is something we know well, and if you’re looking to grow your business online, reach out today to learn how our experts can help!