With every brand new technical advance comes socio-economic responses. In this particular situation, there are countless jobs that have never existed, jobs like influencer and YouTube publicist. The benefits of social media for your business are manifold, and can work in ways that are difficult to understand.
Social media is easily accessible from any platform, and it helps you to keep in touch with your friends, watch cat videos and study the latest fashion trends anywhere – on a plane, on a train, in your house or (unfortunately) while walking, but don’t use it when driving please!
Major institutions such as museums and schools now hire people to manage their social media presence, something unheard of years ago. If philanthropic groups have social media, it is a given that most corporations and businesses, from the major players to the small start-ups, all have a social media presence.
The Benefits of Social Media for Your Business Matter
Although I personally know a few “old school” people who do not use social media for their business needs, preferring the “word of mouth” business model, they are definitely in the minority. Social media is the current wave of advertising, branding, and marketing, presented in an easy to see package; it is the new “word of mouth” for the new age.
The question that arises is whether or not that are actual benefits of social media for business. Is this just another fad? Is it yet more work for little return?
Considering how much information and entertainment has changed over the last ten years, then advertising and marketing have had to change as well. Fewer people watch TV, so conventional advertisements are declining in their effectiveness. Most people stream their movies and shows, which gives some platforms, particularly YouTube, the opportunity to show multiple ads.
Life is Online
Fewer people read newspapers and magazines, which is another advertising venue lost. Newspapers and magazines overall have switched to online formats, but this still does provide some advertising. Nonetheless, people might read an article or two, glance at a photo spread, and then return to that cat video.
Don’t lose hope, because most people are constantly on their smartphones, which means that there is truly a world of sales in the virtual world. Facebook and Google have strategically placed ads based on your particular likes and demographics. Instagram is practically an advertisement in itself, with wonderful photos of food, clothes, beaches and yoga pants.
So now that we know that there is plenty of opportunity for your business in the digital age, what are the benefits of social media for your business?
Get the Message out, Right Now!
Obviously, quicker, easier communication to a wide variety of people and platforms. Plus, customer service performance has improved dramatically due to the internet, where you can chat with a representative in real-time. Hopefully, this will lead to better customer satisfaction.
Social media provides the chance for networking and partnerships. There are specific business networking sites people use and this can lead to increased revenue and activity. However, there are also means by which people can link Facebook and Instagram and Snap chat, creating a trifecta of business opportunities.
People create all sorts of business and social relationships on these platforms. Humble chefs and makeup artists have been pushed into fame by their Instagram posts, so imagine what it can do for you.
This is also tied to increased visibility. If people are constantly scrolling, looking and shopping online, there is a higher percentage than they will discover your business than a mere phone book ad or a fancy street sign. If your page is bold and eye-catching, even better.
Successful Brands are Recognised
The increased visibility allows for branding and making sure that people see and recognise that particular brand. Once a logo becomes ingrained in the mind’s eye, it is successful and helps to promote the company and build brand loyalty. Think of the famous Nike swoosh.
Social media redirects internet traffic to your business website where you can really impress people with your business acumen, designs, and products. If the website is the primary place of merchandising, then it is necessary to increase your traffic. Social media definitely helps with this, especially if you have an accompanying blog. This, in turn, will improve search engine rankings.
In the practical world of finance, social media definitely helps the budget. If you, as the business owner, or perhaps a business partner, handles the social media aspect of the marketing campaign, you can save money. Of course, there are many creatives out there who specialise in branding, graphics, and advertising, but a start-up might need a cost-effective solution and social media provides that option.
Also in the business realm, social media does mean that you can track your competition. “Stalking” might be too harsh of a term, but observing and noting what your competition is doing, posting and selling, will definitely keep you on your proverbial toes, not lagging behind in the dust.
Time to Make Connections
Perhaps it may seem daunting, the prospect of having your business life “out there”, online, for everyone to see, but it does literally pay to jump into the social media foray. There are now more than three billion people using social media, and while they all might be strangers at the moment, they are all potential customers.
Therefore, don’t worry and just start designing a logo or experimenting with filters, create a business account on Facebook or decide on an Instagram tag, because there are so many positive benefits of social media for your business, you can’t really go wrong!
