Over the last two decades, how we communicate and get consumer’s attention has changed dramatically. 10-15-20 years ago, when we needed to get in contact with someone quickly we made phone calls, sent faxes, or paged whom we were looking to contact. When we wanted to make a deeper connection with individuals or groups of people, we sent letters via the “old fashioned snail mail,” or shared a physical photo from that spectacular vacation we took. Today, we less often use these communication channels, all because of the world the rise of social media. Some say that the first form of social media was the telegram, dating all the way back to 1792; others claim the first form of social media came about in 1997, with the creation of SixDegrees.com. Regardless of when these forms of communication blossomed, they have transformed society and continue to influence the way we connect with one another.
Today, majorities of consumers are on social media, checking their accounts all throughout the day. That is why it is the most efficient way to reach various audiences. For businesses who are consistently trying to reach large groups of people, it is critical they jump on the social media bandwagon. The most popular social media platforms they can best reach consumers on include Facebook; YouTube; Instagram; Pinterest; Snapchat; LinkedIn and Twitter to name a few. Below, we highlight why businesses need to have a presence on various social media platforms and how they can best utilize them.
Growth, Connection, & Reach
As a society, businesses and people alike have become more accustomed to using social media to connect and communicate daily. Twitter, whether it be to stay in touch with family and friends or stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest, social media has become a tool that helps people connect and stay informed quickly.
With social media, at the click of a button businesses can reach the audiences they are trying to reach. Whether it be to promote the business, encourage people to follow them on various platforms, or share services, offers and sales, businesses will generate the most attention on social media! For small/local businesses especially, staying connected and engaging online is crucial. For example, if a small or large business wants to grow their Facebook presence, holding a contest is one great way to grab consumer’s attention. Studies show that “35% of Facebook Fans like a page so they can participate in contests.” New page fans will learn about a business’ product and service offerings while visiting the page to enter the contest.
Correct knowledge and understanding of what works and does not work in gaining users attention, allows a business to have successful campaigns that have a long reach and increases traffic and revenue to the business. Tying in promo codes helps the cause that much more. While the campaign is in process and/or over, “Likes”, “followers”, “shares”, “clicks”, “page traffic”, etc. are easy ways for a business to measure how they are performing on social media.
So, Overall, Why Should Businesses Bother With Social Media?
- Whenused correctly, social media can broaden a business’ brand awareness, fan base, and audience. When a business knows where the audiences are online, they can then aim to master the platforms that make sense for them to use.
- It can help drive customers to click-and-mortar or brick-and-mortar
the business’ website or physical store.
- Building connections with consumers online can help generate revenue if that is one of a business’ campaign goals. It creates loyal customers and deeper personal connections – Relatability is key.
- Social media helps keep customers engaged with a business’ services, products, or brand, which increases the company’s value.
As a whole in today’s day and age, there is one key difference between successful and unsuccessful businesses. Successful businesses keep themselves up-to-date and follow the saying, “old ways won’t bring new results,” while unsuccessful businesses continue to stick to old business practices that are not necessarily as popular as they were in the past. Altogether, if a business is looking to flourish in today’s technology guided world, they need to hop on the social media train, because that is where today’s consumers are.
