Social media came about as a new way for people to communicate on a personal level – but it’s no longer personal! Social networking is now growing rapidly amongst businesses as the place to engage, connect and inform their customers. Just like a website – a profile on social media will allow your business to build your brand, advertise to and communicate with not only customers but potential customers, business partners and even employees.
Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are the most useful of the social networks but the power of blog posts should not be underestimated. While each is different, all offer the opportunity for businesses to maintain an internet presence, increase brand awareness and communicate with your target market with minimal effort.
Facebook was originally created to allow people to connect on a personal level but now offers businesses a fantastic opportunity to inform about their products and services, increase their reach and generate traffic (and therefore) sales. Business pages are the fastest growing segment on Facebook today. Not only does Facebook allow you to communication with those that ‘like’ your business but potentially all of their friends, and friends of friends – your marketplace just got a lot bigger.
Twitter is the go-to social media network for update to information. Based around 140 character ‘tweets’, Twitter is a vehicle which allows businesses to engage with customers in real time and often with a small outlay of time.
Business social networking site LinkedIn offers a network through which businesses can connect with complementary providers, suppliers, business partners and potential employees. A profile on LinkedIn provides a valuable opportunity to connect with other businesses.
While blog posts will take more time and effort than other social media to maintain, their benefits are also greater. Blog posts will allow your business to establish its self as an expert in your field, inform your target market about your products and services in more detail and provides the opportunity for people to repost your blog and therefore increase traffic to your primary web site which will equate to either more sales or more contacts. Blogs containing ‘calls to action’ provide the potential to direct customers straight to your door – so to speak!
Social media is here to stay and is in fact growing in popularity. Unlike traditional forms of marketing, social media is two-way communication between you and your target market, works for you 24/7, is continuous and can reach further. Most people make purchase decisions these days based on reviews, feedback and recommendations they read on the internet. Can you afford not to be there? Contact Website Design Centre for more information on how we can help your business become social.
