By Savanna Heishman
It is no secret that the world we live in today is fueled by social media. Approximately 3.8 billion people all over the world are using social media to stay up to date with the world around them. Luckily for business owners, this is the perfect opportunity to advertise and market your business quickly, easily, and efficiently. It may seem daunting to formulate the perfect social media strategy for your business. However, it’s crucial that you first ask yourself these questions: What does your brand voice sound like? How does your brand represent who you are? What are your goals? Do you want new customers to discover your products and services? After you answer these questions and thoroughly gauge your expectations for a social media strategy, you can begin applying it to various social media channels that work best for your business.
More now than ever before, social media has been the gateway to successful business marketing and reaching an audience. Utilizing all channels of social media, whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, is a surefire way of increasing brand awareness, staying relevant and visible to potential customers. It can also help you keep up with recent industry news.
The Numbers
Recently, Sherpa Marketing conducted research and found that more people follow brands and businesses on Instagram than they do celebrities and influencers. Specifically, 80% of people who are active on Instagram follow at least one business. Not only are Instagram users engaging with brands they already know online, 60% of them say that they discover new businesses regularly through that platform alone.
You may be thinking: What if my business isn’t big enough and how will I attract new customers? The fact of the matter is that your business needs a social media presence. It doesn’t matter if you’re a small business or a national brand, your social media presence is a crucial part of your marketing strategy. Social media platforms help you connect with your customers which will ultimately lead to a boost in sales and traffic. Really, there’s nothing to lose here. As long as your brand voice is clear, your goals are set in place, and you’re utilizing every aspect that social media provides, your social media strategy will be successful. After all, if people don’t know about your business, they can’t become your customers.
Using Social Media
While there are endless tips and tricks to creating a successful social media strategy for your business, there is one that stands out among the rest. You must strive to humanize your brand, especially on social media where all eyes will be on your business. Customers are not interested in a business that publishes corporate-style social media posts that lack all personality and humanization. So instead of doing that, this is an opportunity to personalize all of your social media posts and let your brand’s personality shine through.
This is also where you must perfect the tone of your business. Is it funny, friendly, and casual? Or is it a bit more formal? In the past couple of years, New Epsilon has done research that indicates that 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer a more personalized experience. Additionally, 90% of people indicated that they find personalization appealing. What better way to offer a sense of personalization to your customers? Through social media, of course.
The ways to market your business on social media are truly endless. Figuring out your goals is the first step, and then take it from there. Think about your brand voice, your potential customers, and utilize everything that social media platforms can offer your business. Social media is not a passing trend but is rather the most proficient way to promote your brand, increase sales, and build a solid relationship with new and existing customers.
