Social Media is one of the most pervasive mechanisms of our times. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and all of the other social media channels can sometimes feel like they’re clawing their way into every aspect of our lives.
However, if you own or operate a business then you need to get comfortable with the idea of seeing more social media at work because you should definitely have a presence there, and it’s not necessarily for the reasons you might think.
Here are the top five reasons your business should be on social media.
1. Search Engine Optimization is Essential.
If you’ve ever looked into online marketing then you may have heard the term “SEO” or “Search Engine Optimization”. This term is basically used to describe whether or not your business is “searchable” within the online marketplace.
After all, if you’re going to put in the effort to have and maintain a beautiful website, you’ll need to make sure that people can actually find it, right? SEO is the key to that.
Believe it or not, social media profiles can help improve your website SEO when they are set up properly and updated regularly. What they do to help is drive targeted, intent-based traffic to your site which can help with your conversion rates and beyond.
2. Social Media Strengthens Your Brand.
Potential customers can learn a lot about you from your website, but there is something so much more powerful about seeing a live Facebook video taken from a business owner’s phone. As potential customers browse your website, they’re going to try and get to know you. This process has become increasingly important as ethically-driven millennials continue to saturate the market.
Millennial customers want to know whether or not your company is going to align with their values and one of the best ways you can show the world who you are is with intimate posts made by professionals who know your business.
3. Social Media Humanizes Your Brand.
Because so much of our world is made up of automated telephone assistants and cold, empty screens, human interaction can often be a huge selling point for a service. We want to talk to a real person when we have a question or concern; that’s why we reach out. Otherwise, it would be easy to just google our questions.
Now, social media is a social tool, meaning that messaging services are built into them. Social media is designed to help your audience connect to you, and if you answer their messages, your customer base will feel like they’re getting the attention they deserve.
4. Online Reviews are a Customer’s Bible.
The importance of online reviews cannot be overstated in today’s marketplace. According to research compiled by Invesp, About 90% of consumers read online reviews before deciding who they’re going to call for products or services. Yes, that is 90%.
Positive reviews have a huge impact on customers and about 73% of them will trust local businesses more when they see positive feedback from other consumers. Though the threat of fake reviews is always looming, people tend to trust reviews. But what does this have to do with social media?
Well, after Yelp, Facebook is the second most trusted review source, officially outranking Google. However, navigating the world of online reviews can be tricky without expertise, so call on experts before you get yourself in too deep.
5. Your Competition is Already Reaping the Benefits.
It’s highly unusual to see a business that doesn’t have a company Facebook page these days. But if you’re one of the few that doesn’t have one, then your potential customers are going to notice.
There’s a sense of unease about not seeing a company on social media when you look them up and the thought is rarely, “Oh, they’re probably just too busy and successful to run a Facebook page”. More often than not, the thought will be something along the lines of, “Wow. They just don’t care.” or “I just don’t know enough about them to commit”.
Your competition probably has a company page on Facebook, so if your potential customers aren’t looking at yours, then they are probably looking at theirs. Are you really willing to take that risk for your brand?
Take Control of Your Online Presence
So with all you’ve read, it’s apparent that now is the time to take control of your online presence. Take to social media and create a strong brand, build up powerful profiles, and make sure your customers are getting a clear sense of who you are and what you’re about.