“We live in a digital age”
In today’s digital age, the likes of Google and social media platforms seem like natural infrastructure in our every days lives. This being said, many generations are now using the World Wide Web and creating Facebook profiles which is providing businesses like you and I with the opportunity to connect with our fans, audiences and customers alike.
But what are the benefits of channelling your marketing efforts through social media? Here are 10 reasons why…
- It’s free!
What’s more appealing than free marketing? It costs your company nothing to use social media. From Facebook to Twitter and from Pinterest to Google +, accounts are completely free to set up and maintain. There are areas where you can add money to promotional posts but the use of all social media is free!
- Direct contact with your customers
Having direct contacts with your customer’s means you can answer queries and resolve issues as quickly as possible. It creates two way dialogue and if you find the right tone and message, this can give you a boost over your competitors.
- Get to know your target market, up close and personal
You can use social media to ask questions, trial and error what your followers like and learn from their comments. Ensure you record which posts are the most popular at which times. This study is important so you can develop a strategy to reach your audience correctly, such as how many people are online to see your post.
- Target posts at the audience you want
When ‘Boosting’ your posts on Facebook – which is paying to post your post to people who don’t necessarily ‘like’ your page – you can choose the exact audience you would like to target from women aged 24 to 30 or men from London aged 60+. You decide and narrow it down to your exact desired demographic.
- Promote and reward your followers
You can repay ‘Brand Fans’ who regularly interact with your social posts. Whether it is a lady who retweets everything or a gent’ who shares your Facebook posts, you can interact with them and reward their loyalty. This can spark more people to become brand fans who regularly interact with your social on goings.
- All your competitors are using it
Trying to keep up with your competitors can be tough, especially when they are trying to steal the market share. Therefore, work on your social profiles and build a brand persona. This will certainly give you an edge over your competitors.
- Run free competitions
Competitions are fun for all and with the right prize can attract a lot of interaction. Therefore, host competitions on your social platforms like ‘Pin to Win’ on Pinterest and ‘Retweet to Enter’ on Twitter. This will boost your followings, interaction and brand awareness.
- Verify your location
Give your audience somewhere to pin point you. Verify your location on Google+ and allow people local to you to find you with ease.
- Drive traffic to your website
Place promotions, special offers and information updates on your social channels and drive traffic to your website. Give your fans a reason to visit your website with a direct link included in the post. With the right posts, you will soon see an influx in traffic.
- A 24 hour shop for your customers
When you close up for the day or finish your shift, remember, social media never sleeps. This gives your customers access to contact you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year so be prepared to respond out of hours. This will show you are always quick to respond to customers and this may lead to a few extra sales for you.
If you made it to number 10 without rushing off to build a Facebook profile, a Twitter page or a Pinterest Account, well done. You are now equipped with the basic skills to run a free and successful social media operation!
