The Importance of Social Media in 2014

It is surprising that, even with the huge amount of hype and discussion which has accompanied the rise of social networks, some businesses are still unaware of the benefits which can be achieved. Social media has completely transformed the landscape of online marketing and allows businesses to communicate with their customers like never before.

Expanded Reach

There are so many people who use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis and people’s sharing habits make it easy for businesses to gain additional, cheap exposure. Businesses can post statuses, photos or videos to their pages and these posts will be seen by many people who have chosen to follow the page. If a consumer likes your content, they can then share it with their friends, allowing the business to reach areas that it could not before.

Increased Traffic

Reaching more consumers on social networks, as mentioned above, will result in gaining more followers or ‘likes’. Continually providing interesting content that people want to see and share with their friends will increase your overall image and attract more consumers to your brand. Before long, this increase social traffic will translate to clicks through to your business website.

Portray Brand Image

Brands of today are more powerful than ever before. The avenues that are now available to businesses for reaching their customers make it easier than ever for them to develop a powerful brand image. Social media is a perfect tool in this respect, as it provides a way for a brand to display is personality. Be sure to make a plan for your social media representation and ensure that all posts are consistent with a unified brand image. In this way, you will be able to develop relationships and loyalty with customers who feel connected with your brand. Make sure any pictures, videos or comments posts all serve to reinforce your image. Without the necessary skills in-house, it is highly recommended that you employ professional graphic designers and copywriting services to help you out.

Ease of Communication

The informal environment of social networks provides an ideal place for consumers to get in touch with businesses. Instead of having to find a contact email address and writing a letter, consumers can now quickly send a brief, casual message to brands, allowing them to engage with their customers personally and develop a lasting bond.

Market Insight

You will already be well aware of the value of market data. Think of the main commodities that major firms, such as Google and Facebook, trade and the magnitude becomes obvious. Social networks, such as Facebook, allow businesses to access a depth of insights about the people who are interacting with their page. These analytics provide businesses with visitor demographics, interaction figures, amongst statistics in various other areas. It is absolutely essential that businesses consider this information when they approach their social strategy. Asking questions such as what times of day your followers are online and what posts are receiving the most interaction will enable you to tailor your strategy to your specific market.

With all of the above to be gained, there is absolutely no doubt that business should be using social media platforms. Select which ones are most relevant to your business and target market and capitalize.

About the Author:

The article has been written by Christian Abbas who works at Prime Digital and loves to blog in the Social Media niche.