As a small business with limited time and resources you may wonder why to invest in social media.
This blog will discuss five reasons why setting up and investing in social media for your business is worthwhile.
A successful social media strategy requires time, commitment and creative thinking and this will lead to some rather striking results.
1. Build Brand Awareness and Loyalty
The key to keeping your customers is to build a brand that they are proud to associate themselves with. Social media gives you a platform to create and develop a strong and well-established brand.
People buy from people.
Use social to engage, educate and capture an audience of potential buyers, then
your customers will come to you.
2. Generate website traffic
If you speak to any web developer, they are sure to mention Search Engine Optimisation.
A beautiful, creative and intuitive new website is wasted if it is not seen by the right people at the right time.
Using social media correctly can be an effective way to push potential customers to relevant pages on your website.
Top Tip: If using web links in social media posts, link to a specific page that answers the questions that a potential visitor could have.
Put yourself in their shoes, if you had seen that post and wanted to find out more what would you want to know? Use your web page to answer that question!
3. Connect with current and potential customers
Our customer base consists of two different types of buyers: one-timers and long-term loyal returning customers.
In order to be successful, we need to learn how to capture and nurture both types of customer.
Social media can be used to answer the questions of new customers and also stay in touch with and show gratitude to long-term returning customers.
Top tip: When planning your social media strategy, think from your customers and potential customers' points of view rather than your own.
Answer the questions you think they will have, rather than pushing information you want to tell.
Find the right balance in your content - 80% educate and inspire, 20% promote.
4. Create a strong brand character and personality
Building a strong brand character and personality can play a huge part in retaining long-term customers.
Social media is not a platform for preaching, it is a communication gateway for conversations with your customers.
Use colour consistency and appropriate tone and imagery to paint a picture of your company, the people within it, and the solutions you provide.
Saying that, remember to communicate like a human being on your social media channels.
People need to be able to identify with and relate to your brand.
In summary, humanise, personalise and communicate.
5. Keep an eye on your competitors
Most social media channels provide business accounts with free analytics and some features in which you can check out what your competition is doing and whether they are being successful online.
Remember that no matter your industry, there are always potential customers on social media and if you are not communicating with them then your competitors are.
In summary, is it worth investing in social media?
Yes, absolutely yes!
Investing does not mean ploughing hundreds of pounds into advertising, it means thinking carefully about your business, what you want to achieve, and how social media can help you get there.
If you are feeling inspired and want to learn more about social media and how to make the most out of it, why not sign up for one of our Essentials courses?
Learn the basics of everything you need to know in three hours and for only £35.
Invest in yourself, invest in your business.