Social media Is a golden resource in digital marketing today. With the advancement of technology and the internet, social media marketing has become an incredibly strong way for a business to reach their target audiences. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn provide a way for marketers to directly interact with customers and can dramatically contribute to a brand’s success by bringing in new customers, new leads, and even more sales. There are now many tools for marketers to create and share content easily in order to achieve their marketing goals, so it is definitely a good idea for every business–regardless of their size– to invest in this type of digital marketing.
Social media marketing is a fabulous tool that allows businesses to share messages, photos, videos, and so many other forms of content that can capture an audience’s attention and improve a businesses’ standing. It can assist in many marketing goals including multiplying website traffic, increasing conversions, making sure audiences know about a brand, crafting a brand identity, and solidifying the communication between a brand and its customers. When a brand has a large social following, it is easier to put a message “out there” and ensure that marketing goals are met. According to Statista, 70% of the United States population uses a social media platform, and this is only expected to increase as time goes on. It’s no wonder social media is a gold mine for marketers. It presents a huge opportunity for businesses to reach people and grow.
Facebook and Instagram are fun ways to pass time. I personally check my social media profiles various times a day when watching funny videos or browsing to see what my friends and family are up to. Oftentimes, I will scroll and be bombarded with advertisements. However, because I’m so engaged in everything being posted, I really consume the information placed in front of me without really realizing that products are being marketed to me. It’s a clever way for businesses to get inside a customer’s head at a time when they are so receptive to these messages. Social media also gives brands plenty of different ways to be creative in their marketing efforts. For example, a brand can show a different facet of their personality by creating an entertaining video, writing a catchy message (Dorito’s has done this with their catch “comebacks”), or putting up a photo that’s a real attention grabber. This is great for customers who have never heard of your brand and may give the page a follow just based on the interesting content. I have personally become a customer of a handful of brands based on their social media advertisements. It is an opportunity to make new connections and engage with the current ones.
Yet another amazing reason to use social media as a prime marketing tool is that it is cost effective but still impactful. Sure, a brand must invest time into creating content and building relationships, but the money spent on actual advertisements and impressions is affordable even when a company is working with a small budget. In fact, the cost of social media marketing tends to be much less expensive than more traditional marketing efforts.
We also can’t forget about the power of hashtags or mentions. When a customer uses a hashtag to garner the attention of a brand or mentions them with the @ symbol, others can not only view that brand’s page, but they can join in on the conversation as well. This is also an opportunity for brands to construct a relationship and respond back to the comment as well as put themselves out there so that potential customers can learn about them and what they have to offer. In other words, it’s a way for a business to engage with customers and try to build a relationship.
I’ve only mentioned a handful of benefits to social media marketing, but the reality is that there are so many more reasons for brands to focus on social media efforts. Marketing will continue evolving and changing as our society continues to rely more on technology. I would argue that not only is it effective for most businesses, but nowadays it is a necessity as well. Businesses who are not already using social media to market their products and services should consider the benefits and use these tools to execute and manage some of their communication efforts. It may be a decision that gives their brand that extra boost.
Citations
Global No.1 Business Data Platform. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/.