If you’ve been dragging your feet on getting your business on Facebook, Twitter or other social media sites, hoping this is a trend that will quietly go out of style, I have news for you: social media marketing is here to stay. Simply consider the fact that, according to the Pew Research Center, 79 percent of American internet users use Facebook (that’s 68 percent of the total population), a 7-percentage-point increase from a similar survey conducted in 2015.
And it’s not just a younger demographic that’s on the site. According to the same Pew study, 65 percent of online adults ages 65 and older now use Facebook, which represents a 14-point increase 2015. Roughly three-quarters (76 percent) of Facebook users report that they visit the site daily (55 percent visit several times a day, and 22 percent visit about once per day). Twitter has 25 percent of internet users, with Pinterest at 31, Instagram 32 and LinkedIn 29 percent.
In order for your brand to exist today, you must not only be visible on social channels, you must also be active. The good news is there are countless benefits for getting your social media act together, and it doesn’t have to cost much to do so. Here are just three things to love about social media:
Now It’s Personal
Sites like Facebook and Twitter are more perceived as more personal than traditional advertising, and therefore users are more receptive to what you have to say. Plus, users can easily and quickly share your message with others.
Getting to Know You
Social media provides the opportunity to build real relationships. By reading your audiences’ Tweets, posts and likes, you can learn about what they value, what problems they need solved, and what resonates with them. Having this kind of insight can help drive your marketing campaigns, lead to new product innovations or entirely new thinking about who your target customer really is.
Staying Loyal
According to a study by Texas Tech University, brands with active social media profiles enjoy more loyal customers. That makes sense; when you engage with customers, you strengthen your relationship with them and are seen as more personable, not simply a corporate business.
And there are more benefits to a strong social media presence: being able to respond quickly to problems, targeting super-specific groups with customized messages, and promoting events just to name a few.
The one caveat is that your social media activity has to be regular and consistent. In other words, don’t expect your website to explode with new users by simply reposting and retweeting. Original content, an editorial calendar and clear overall strategy are all vital to leveraging the marketing power of social media.
CH Consulting Group has seen first-hand the benefits of social media management. In the past few months, we have increased our presence (through a planned strategy) and have seen the results: increased website traffic and time spent on the site, as well as increased shares and likes. In fact, we feel so strongly about what social media can do for businesses, we have added it to our service offerings. If you don’t have a solid social media management plan and are leveraging it to grow your business, contact us today for a free quote.
