The benefits of social media for business can be huge, from increased sales, improved brand loyalty and greater brand awareness to name a few.
If your business isn’t on social media, it might be worth asking why and how a social media plan could work for you. Our Junior Account Manager, Abigail, breaks down the benefits of businesses utilising social channels!
Building brand awareness
One of the best benefits of social media for business is the impact it has on building brand awareness. Each social media channel your business has a presence on is another platform to get your brand noticed and reach new audiences.
Getting your brand in front of existing and potential customers can play a huge role in their decision to engage with or purchase from your business.
Being visible and showing up in the right areas in front of consumers is key to building a trusted and valued connection with your customer base.
Speak their language and show up in the places they digitally hang out in.
There’s no point wasting time and resource perfecting your LinkedIn strategy if your customers prefer Instagram.
Do some initial research and find out which platforms your audience prefer. For example, visual consumer goods can work really well on Instagram, whereas B2B communications can often work better on LinkedIn, engaging directly with key decision makers.
It’s also worth looking into what platforms your competitors are on. They might be reaching your potential customers in a way that you aren’t. A quick Google search could help you to identify what platforms you should consider joining.
If you notice your competitors aren’t on a certain platform, it might be worth investigating. Are they missing a trick? Could you reach potential customers in a way that no one else is?
Alternatively, it might be a sign that there is no appetite from your potential and current customers on certain platforms, so it is definitely worth ten minutes of your time to investigate this and streamline your efforts.
Sell, sell, sell!
If you’re not sure about putting your business on social media, then you could be missing out on some easy and profitable sales opportunities.
Many social media platforms now have inbuilt shopping features where brands can list their products for shoppers to purchase directly on that platform.
Forbes reported that at least two-thirds of consumers shop on social media platforms these days, with YouTube, Facebook and Instagram ranking as their favourite social platforms to shop from. Can you afford to miss out on these sales opportunities?
As well social shopping, social media is a great way to direct people to your site, inform them of offers and spread the word about your products or services. After all, if people don’t know about you, they won’t buy from you!
Quick (and free!) market research
All business leaders know that market research can be pricey! However, social media channels can allow you to get quick, free feedback and opinions from any existing or future customers.
Ask questions or make use of the polling features that most social platforms have to really get a conversation going.
While this is good for gathering vital information and feedback, it will also help to build a relationship with your audiences, letting them know that you value and desire their opinions and ideas.
Offering an incentive to share, such as a voucher or entry into a prize draw, is an excellent way to encourage engagement and gain vital insights from your audience.
Join the conversation
Social media is a fantastic tool for businesses to share live updates and get involved in reactive, trending discussions to build relationships with their audiences and share an insight into their company and their values.
Social media stories are brilliant for showcasing your company culture, giving potential consumers an exclusive look into your operations and potential employees an insight into your ethos, values and company culture.
Research shows that consumers value areas like sustainability, ethical practices and diversity when considering their buying decision. Use social media as a platform to showcase your brand and what you stand for.
Social media can also help your business join in with trending conversations and have a voice. Trending topics, for example Black Friday or national awareness days, are always big on social media and often lead to trending and sometimes viral content.
Make sure you’re using hashtags to be a part of the larger conversation. Hashtags can also be great to showcase your values and shout about what your company believes in.
Our Digital PR Account Manager, Matthew, recently took a deep dive into how brands can use their social media channels to make a difference this LGBT+ History Month, check it out!
If you find yourself asking “do I need social media?” then you have most likely already seen the value in it. Perhaps try one platform to dip your toe in the water? If you want some advice on creating a bespoke social media plan for your business, get in touch with our social media team today.
To learn more about how you can use social media for a B2B audience to drive revenue and create new conversations, check out our B2B Social Media Marketing e-book!
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