Social media marketing isn’t a luxury; it is an absolute must.
As a business owner, you already know it is a cut-throat world out there. You need every trick in the book to outshine your competitors and keep your customers coming back. Whether you are painting your offices purple or giving away freebies, your business has to be better then the next or it will sink – with you in it.
So why would you give your competitors the edge by shying away from the lucrative industry that is the internet community? Do you even have a social media strategy, or are you just floating around in the sea of technology, hoping your clients get your message in a bottle?
Social media marketing is a way to create awareness about your brand or services
It is a way to get in touch with consumers and determine what they want or expect from you. In turn, they will spread the word among their own online friends about you.
The internet enables a business owner to broadcast their message to a targeted audience and make sure that they are seen. How can you be sure that anyone reads your nicely designed billboard on the highway? Or even how many people were inspired by your advertisement in the newspaper to pay you a visit? You can’t.
This is what makes social media platforms awesome and essential and the same time. These platforms can be monitored for consumer sentiment. You can use it to network with suppliers, peers, promote your services and share viable information.
Some of the popular platforms for business purposes are:
- Google+
- Blogger
- WordPress/ Joomla
- Flickr
- My Space
- Youtube
- Digg
Two of the most readily available social media platforms, are emails and SMS’s. Sadly, a lot of businesses don’t realise the value of sending a simple thank you SMS or a were you satisfied with our service email. Some companies have caught on and are now sending promotion material or reminders to their customers.
Using social media marketing combined with the correct social media strategies, will increase your rankings on search engines. More social = more search = more customers. It’s that simple!
