I’m a Millennial, so for me it’s unfathomable for a business to NOT be online and right at my fingertips! But believe it or not, there are still many small business owners who already have a good customer base and steady income that are not on social media and barely online. As of last year a good 77% of small businesses used social media for key marketing functions, which means there were still a good 23% of businesses still living in the dark ages!

Since social media marketing is still a fairly new form of marketing and not as established as using traditional methods, there is still not a huge bank of data to look at when trying to justify an investment in marketing on one or more platforms. However small, there is evidence though that definitely shows having a social media presence being highly beneficial to businesses in a variety of ways. Here are 5 ways that having a social media presence can help your business!

Build Awareness

It’s hard to sell to customers who don’t know your business exists. Having a social media presence is a great way to spread the word about your business and what you have to offer. This can be done by creating a page on a platform and exposing your business to your audience through paid advertisements, or organically for free! Post captivating, relevant and stylized content that appeals to your customers interests, and take some time to engage with customers by replying to messages and comments. Doing this consistently will help you gain followers and increase your reach!

Reach New Customers

If you own a business, growth is always a goal, right? Being on social media is a great place to find new customers to grow your business. Think of how many people are in the world right now, and the fact that over half of them are online all the time. There is a huge market out there of potential customers you could reach, both local to your business and beyond. Even if you’re convinced your audience is too old or disinterested in social media, chances are that they are connected to someone who is.

Make More Conversions

Tracking return on investment (ROI) and conversions on social media is tricky but doable. Again, with social media being the newer form of advertising, there is still a push for more accurate data on the actual numbers when it comes down to profits. However, the available data paints a pretty bright picture of the possibilities social media marketing has to offer. There is profit to be made advertising and selling on social media platforms. It takes the right audience and the right strategy, but with everything in place, there is profit to be made.

Advertise Affordably

The cost of advertising on social media platforms is still relatively low. Think of the cost of buying a radio or tv ad, or even renting a billboard. The price of traditional forms of advertising can reach into the hundreds, even thousands! Social media advertising is very cost effective because a small amount of money goes a long way. Just boosting a post for only $20 can reach thousands of people at a time! Running ad campaigns is a little more time consuming with a more tactical approach, but in the long run still costs way less than traditional forms of advertising. Not to mention, you can easily track your numbers and watch your ad’s performance as it runs.

Build Your Brand

Finally, the 5th way social media marketing is beneficial to small businesses is the simple yet very important fact that is helps build your company’s brand. Having a strong, easily recognizable and trustworthy brand is essential in selling to new customers, and social media helps you get there. Social media platforms give businesses a voice and a means of authentically sharing who they are, what they do, and what they have to offer on a daily basis, as well as build relationships with customers through targeted, relevant content creation and engagement.

Do you need help getting online?

Getting started with social media marketing is easy! I have a 3-step plan that will get you up and running, building your audience in no time. Click here to request a quote for your business!

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