The Benefits of Social Media
Most social media outlets are conceivably some of the best and cost-effective forms of uninterrupted advertising, yet many businesses do not take advantage of the opportunities they bring. This would be a diverse way in which businesses can tap the power of social media in order to increase their sales, directly reach their audience or consumers, and minimize their marketing costs. I was recently reminded of that fact when I received a call from an out-of-state client, who said I am a Twitter follower of his and had retweeted some of his postings in the past. He went on to say that he saw a posting by me in regards to e-filing in California and gave me a call. Since that day, the client continues to use many of our legal support services. Over the past several years I've gained many new customers and those customers have in turn continued to recommend my company to others across the nation. I usually post something about my services on social media every other day, as well as other interesting articles that followers find appealing.
There are several mobile applications where you can post the same content on virtually multiple platforms all at once. Some examples are Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Buffer and others. This will save you time of having to log into each separate platform individually to post. Consequently, most businesses no longer have an option on whether to be on social media or not. Those that do not, will see their market share decrease; while their counterparts who do will continue to gain market share.
Many Internet searches today are performed by a mobile device, and according multiple data reports nearly 60% of online searches are from a mobile device, thus making it important to get in front of those potential customers by providing valuable information and services on a mobile and online medium. There are dozens of social media sites, but the most popular sites are Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat among others. These sites have gained a sufficient reputation that has made them more than just a platform for people to socialize; they have become very efficient tools for marketing, with great impact for small and large businesses.
Small and large scale businesses currently use social media to increase their networks and grow their clientele. The more businesses communicate with their customers, the more they learn and continue utilize social media, by making it easier to interact with their audience in an open environment. Another benefit associated with social media is the valuable insight from customers (whether positive and or negative) that you may receive as feedback from valued customers.
Social media for business has allowed companies to increase brand awareness and expand their services at little or no cost. The old costs associated with traditional advertising methods are much higher compared to advertising on social media, but the most important benefit of social media is the increased website traffic and search ranking of a business website. Social media helps you direct people to your website and the more social media shares you receive, the higher your search ranking will be! Overall social media has a low-cost with a global scale output, and its impact is in fact measurable. Don't be afraid of social media, embrace it as this is the future.
Michael Kern