Social media is the new rave of the 21st century so it’s only normal for marketers to turn Social Media from all fun and games to a palpable marketing platform. When we talk about Social Media Marketing what exactly do we mean?
Social Media Marketing is a form of internet marketing that involves creating and sharing content on different Social Media platforms to achieve a set marketing goal. This can be done through activities like posting texts, updating images and videos and any other content that will drive consumer engagement. Some examples of Social Media platforms are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+ to name but a few.
WHY DO I NEED SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING?
With all that has been said about Social Media Marketing, it sounds good, but you’re probably still asking yourself, do I need it? Why do I need it as a marketing tool to grow my business or brand? Well you most definitely do and here are some compelling reasons why.
Social Media Marketing helps to build your brand image.
If there is a complaint on the delivery of your product or service, a quick response can be made through social media platforms to curb that problem. Also the level of frequency in which you post, engage and interact on Social Media will help you build a strong social media presence and increase brand awareness.
Social Media Marketing gives access to a wider reach.
Through social media platforms like Facebook, it’s easy to market your services to a larger population as opposed to traditional Marketing. With Social Media you will be able to find customers that you didn’t know existed and who are ready to patronize your brand.
Social Media Marketing is the best marketing tool to connect with your customers.
The major advantage Social Media Marketing holds over Traditional Marketing (Radio, T.V, Newspapers etc.) is the fact that it’s able to connect and interact with the audience on a personalized level. Using Social Media as a networking and communication platform enables you to humanize your brand. By interacting with your customers on a one-on-one basis, brand loyalty is formed.
Social Media Marketing enhances brand loyalty.
One of the primary goals of any brand is to develop a strong force of brand loyalty. As a result of this, having an active Social Media profile by constantly engaging with customers will lead to an increase in customer satisfaction. However, Social Media shouldn’t be limited to introducing your brand’s products and promotional campaigns but should be a service channel where customers can directly communicate with your business. The more you interact with the customer, the more brand loyalty you build.
Social Media Marketing is a cost-effective advertising strategy.
Building a business profile on any Social Media platform is almost free. With a well-planned out Social Media campaign and a specific targeted audience, any paid promotions you decide to invest in are at a relatively lower cost compared to other marketing tactics.
Social Media is important to your business because if your brand is not represented on relevant social channels, then it doesn’t really exist online. This means no regular interaction with your customers, stakeholders, industry leaders who are online and are interested in your brand.
If you are still indecisive on embedding Social Media Marketing as a part of your marketing strategy, then we have one advice for you. Your competition is getting social, so you should too.
Have you learnt anything? Are there more things you would like to add? Kindly leave a feedback in the comment box.
