Since its invention over 15 years ago, social media has changed the way we communicate with our customers. More and more businesses are reverting to posting content and advertising on social media instead of traditional print media, and for good reason — social media is a great, easy and cost-effective way to expand your business message as well as increase consumer loyalty, sales and site traffic.

More than just a fad, social media is here to stay. Here are the top seven benefits of social media and reasons why you should consider using social media for your business.

Increase brand awareness

If people don’t know about your business, they can’t become customers. Plus, consumers want to choose brands they know well and can connect with.

Social media is the perfect place to generate awareness, build a following and engage with your audience. Regular posting on social media and organic social growth will help you to build an engaged audience that could potentially expand your reach by sharing your posts with their own following.

If people become familiar with your brand through social media, that will play a key role in their decision to choose your products and services.

Establish a connection to a brand

Consumers want to feel connected to a brand. With social media, you are able to interact and communicate with your audience directly, as well as develop relationships with your audience through your posts and content.

Social media also makes it easier—and faster—for users to contact a customer service representative. Social media platforms create a new channel of communication, and clients can now relay their feedback and questions in real-time via reviews, chat and direct messages (DMs).  

So not only are customers better able to connect with you — you’re also better able to connect with THEM. You can gain insight into customer behaviour, see what they’re saying about your business, and ultimately learn what your audience likes, dislikes, or wants to see happen with your business—which can help to inform not only your digital marketing strategy, but your business strategy as well.

Essentially, social media opens the conversation for instant interaction, relationship building, and customer loyalty.

Build an online community

Before it became a tool for businesses, social media was originally designed to connect with your friends and community. Having a social media profile for your business will help you attract genuine followers and build a loyal fan base, especially if you post engaging and dynamic content regularly. People who follow you, especially those who are strongly engaged with your brand, will likely share this content with their following, which will help you increase sales and generate more traffic.

Ultimately, when you build a strong community, people will recommend your brand to other people and almost become a “brand ambassador” for your business.

Uncover industry trends

Social media platforms let you connect to other brands in your industry — no one is perfect, and we can all learn something from the competition! You are able to monitor what competitors are doing well, as well as see what consumers may like or dislike about that brand. For example, you may notice mentions of your competitors that reveal pain points with their products or services that you can in turn address in your own content and campaigns, helping you to win new customers in the process. Monitoring the competition also means you’ll have your finger on the pulse when they make new announcements, run new promotions, launch new products and release new reports or data.

It’s also important to keep a virtual ear to the ground when it comes to your industry, and social media helps you keep track of changes and trends that may affect the way you do business.

Improve search engine presence & web traffic

Looking to build your online search engine presence? Well, social media can help! Shares and click-throughs via social media represent positive search signals to Google which helps to improve your overall organic ranking. Additionally, sharing great content from your blog or website to your social channels is a great way to get readers and new website visitors as soon as you publish a new post.

Cost effective

Most businesses don’t not have thousands of dollars to spend on paid advertising on a variety of channels. But with an organic social strategy, you can engage with your audience and expand your reach for free (with a little bit of effort and work, of course).

If you have some budget to put towards paid advertising, most social media platforms have their own advertising tools. These ads can be run at a small cost and typically work on a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM model), meaning you only pay for each click or for every 1,000 impressions. They also offer powerful targeting options so you can reach the right audience and make the most of your budget.

Authenticity

One of the greatest strengths of social media is its ability to humanize a brand — it not only gives a brand a likeness and vibe, but also makes it more relatable. Much in the way we connect with and relate to our regular barista at a coffee shop or our local bike mechanic, social media lets you connect with the individuals and people behind a brand. That sense of connection builds loyalty and a following of customers and fans that can last for years to come.

Customers prefer brands that are authentic, creative and that shine in their personality, and are less interested in businesses that publish dry, corporate-style social media posts. Find the voice of your business that represents who you are and what you stand for — while it’s important to also be empathetic and polite, it’s also important to get your tone just right so customers see real people behind the social profile.

Not only is social media a cost-effective tactic for your overall digital marketing strategy, it is also a great place to build your own community and elevate your business. Nimble Digital offers both paid and social media programs through our marketing offerings — contact us today to get started on growing your social media presence, your brand authenticity and your customer base.