The array of social media to choose from is almost getting out of
hand. Some could say that it is getting to the point where there are now
too many, whereas others flourish in the volumes of ways to get
yourself heard on the internet. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn,
Pinterest, Tumblr, and YouTube are just a few of the main social media
platforms, and not to mention the countless blogging sites. As an
individual, you most probably have Facebook to catch up with old
friends, Twitter to “tweet” what’s going on in your life, and perhaps
Instagram to visually see what is happening in other peoples’ lives. I
suppose very few of us even knew that YouTube was a social media
platform, we just use it for tutorials or to watch videos of cats! But
how can these websites help you as business and a company? It doesn’t
seem possible to be able to link what they can do, with what your
business does, but there are many gurus who can now make social media
work for your business. Here’s how…
The most obvious advantage to having social media for
your business is that you are able to create an online brand. With
almost 1 in 4 people using social media, it is the easiest way to get a
product or message across to many people. Look how many videos,
messages, and pictures go viral. Using social media for your business
will enable you to branch out to existing and potential customers. If
your existing customers ‘like’ your page, or re-tweet your tweet, and
five of their friends see this and are after the same service or
products that you provide, that’s five more potential customers. As this
chain continues, you can see how the snow ball effect can happen.
You are able to create relationships not only with customers, but with
other companies, alike and competitors. This may seem like something
that you would never dream of, but you know the saying “keep your
friends close, and your enemies closer”! There is also the options of
referral partners, who can pass business onto you, and you likewise to
them. This is a great way of networking, and not just in the local area.
Social media gives you the option to go national, if not global!
Another plus, is that the relationships you create mean that you can
instantaneously respond to one another, making quick business. It also
means that when customers have a query, they can be answered to very
quickly, improving your service.
Your social media platform will also be able to be linked to your
website. Those who know the online marketing business well, will know
that this will massively benefit your SEO. Search engine optimisation
and social media go hand in hand. Google will recognise your links from
your social media to your website, thus increasing your rankings on a
search results page.
Finally, online social media is a lot
cheaper to manage than paying for radio or television adverts. For
smaller businesses, it is probably the most paramount way to get your
business out there. If you are doing your social media yourself, you may
think that you have it in the bag, but there are companies who can do
your social media for you. They are specialists in what they do, and
they know just how to word tweets, or share on Facebook to get you the
right business.
Tags: SEO