It’s official! Social media is everywhere and plays a big part in many of our lives – from sharing photos with family, to reconnecting with long lost friends. You’ve probably also heard by now that it can be a great tool for growing your business – so important in fact that many companies are hiring or outsourcing social media executives. But is this investment worth it? And how can you use social media to help grow your business?
1. Share your news quickly and easily
In age of fast information, sharing news about your hot products, offers and services quickly is essential for staying competitive. Social media makes this easy as your followers can be brought up to date within seconds! The result? Your business looks relevant, active and shows potential customers that you’re constantly offering something new – keeping you at the front of their mind when it comes to purchasing decisions.
2. Use fun to get your name out there
More than 25% of time online is now spent on social media – accounting for over an hour a day of leisure time per person on average. To harness the power of this, the key is in the ‘social’ element of social media. Creating content that people have fun engaging with can be a great way to get your company’s name out there. Twitter hashtags, promotions, games, and funny or shareable images – these are all examples of content that have the potential to go ‘viral’ and be shared thousands of times across the world. Whether you’re looking to expand your national customer base or reach out to more people internationally, social media is borderless – giving you limitless opportunities to promote your brand!
3. Link-link-link to your website
When we talk about driving business, creating a great impression of your company and sharing news is just the first stage. You also want potential customers to make a call, browse your website or send you an enquiry email. Whilst traditional advertising has some great advantages, social media lets you connect customers directly to your website/phone number/ email address at the click of a button. So as soon as they see your great content they can take that next step!
4. Connect directly with your customers
Once your social media profile is active and building followers, your engaging content is likely to attract likes, retweets, shares and comments! The comments section is a great place to get a feel for who your customers are: their opinions, likes and dislikes. Replying to comments means engaging with customers on an individual level – great fun and allowing you to personalise your marketing efforts on a whole new level! Social media can also be a great barometer for receiving feedback – and showing off how great your company is at handling problems.
5. Build your brand
This is where hiring a social media expert can really pay off. Social media is great for brand building because all of the things you share can be carefully curated to perfectly reflect your business’ mission and values. As well as content directly related to your business, sharing third-party pictures, links and news can widen the range of interesting content that your followers associate with your brand. Not to mention the great impression that a creative profile gives! With careful attention, your brand can become the most valuable aspect of your business – and social media can be your secret weapon in creating a strong and memorable one.
Whether you choose to hire an in-house social media manager or outsource to a marketing agency, giving your social media activity the professional touch can make all the difference!
