5 reasons your small business should be on social media

While things in the digital world are ever-changing, social doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. The platforms and the ways people communicate may change – whether it’s text, image, video, gif or emoji-based – but the human community will always be just that: A community. People are social creatures and the internet has given them a wonderful outlet to connect, create and curate. Even the world’s biggest and busiest business leaders are rocking the social-sphere. If that’s where the people are communicating, why isn’t your brand there talking to them?

Here are 5 great reasons to get your small business on social media:

  1. Level the playing field

    Your small business may not be able to compete with large companies with multi-million-dollar marketing budgets, but it doesn’t have to. Social media is an open playing field – it’s not just for the first string players, anyone can kick the proverbial digital ball around.

    While you may not have the resources to create professionally produced videos or budget to boost your posts through the advertising platforms, you can still create, curate and communicate great content. Your small business can have a voice!
     
  2. Get seen (and noticed) on the cheap

    Crafting engaging content and building a community on social media is a great way to create brand awareness for your small business, with a high ROI. Think of it this way: Traditional advertising can cost thousands of dollars for visibility, but no guarantee that people will actually pay attention.

    But what if you could build up your following on Twitter and spend zero dollars on a tweet that gets seen by thousands of people? Better yet – gets noticed – by thousands of people. Social media comes with amazing analytics so you can track, measure and optimize not only the impressions, but engagements such as clicks, retweets, likes and other fun stuff.
     
  3. Build your credibility

    Social media is often one of the first places people will look to find information about a product, brand or company. According to GoDaddy, 7 out of 10 consumers are more likely to use a local business if it has information on social media. Having fresh content in places other than just your website can legitimize your company by letting people know that you are active and real. Seeing that you have real followers and people sharing positive experiences with your brand or product can work wonders for your credibility.

    That said, social media can work both ways on the credibility scale. If you haven’t posted in months, you run the risk of potential customers thinking you’ve shut down business. If information online is incorrect or missing, or there is too many negative posts or interactions, you risk damaging your reputation.
     
  4. Generate new leads

    Social media provides a low cost, direct line to prospective customers like never before. Using tools like HubSpot, you can find people in your target audience and engage with them directly. According to Relevanza, 78 percent of small businesses attract new customers through social media. A study by Deloitte found that one in three US consumers are influenced by social media in their purchases. Generating those leads is one thing, but the great thing is, if done right (and authentically), your social media presence can also lead to repeat purchases and referrals.
     
  5. Provide excellent customer service

    We live in the age of now. People no longer want to wait two to three business days to have their questions answered. Especially with the huge and growing use of mobile, people want instant answers. Offering excellent customer service on social media is easy, fast and can be done from anywhere thanks to mobile apps. Bonus: Interacting with followers, being helpful and engaging is a great way to gain trust and loyalty, draw in customers at every stage of the buying cycle, as well as create public brand advocates.
     

There are many reasons to get social with your small business. Most importantly: it can be a low cost, high ROI marketing tactic. Yes, it takes time and a bit of a learning curve, but it’s worth it!

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