Social media marketing is one of the newest and fastest growing mediums through which to build your business. In the last ten years it has revolutionized marketing, particularly for small businesses. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin are very well known, but YouTube can play a role in your marketing, particularly if you provide a service and can offer videos and how-to’s for your clientele. Interactive blogs are a great opportunity to teach and inform as well as gather information from consumers.
Increased brand awareness
When you enter social media channels, your brand will appear in search results across the Web not just in search engines. Many social media channels, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, feature “group” functionality, which allows users to search for topics in which they are interested. Furthermore, social media channels facilitate the process of instantly sharing information with a large number of contacts. So if a reader finds your content useful or interesting, they can share it with their contacts quickly and easily, creating organic exposure for your brand.
Gives your brand an organic, human feel
Participating in social media brings your brand closer to existing and potential customers. Your voice defines your brand image and separates it from a distant entity to a hip, trendy, “in-the-know” brand. Think about what Apple did with its famous “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” commercials.
Allows you to tune into what’s being said about your brand
You may not know it, but your customers are saying lots of things about your brand. Social media channels like Twitter and Facebook make “brand buzz” readily available. If you’re not tuned in, you could be missing out on crucial information about your target market.
Facilitates word-of-mouth marketing
There is no stronger marketing message than an endorsement from a friend. Social media facilitates word-of-mouth marketing by making it quick and easy to tell your friends about your positive experience with a brand. More importantly, social media doesn’t just make it easy to tell a single friend; it makes it easy to tell all your friends what’s on your mind.
Medium through which to communicate with your existing and potential customers
Twitter and Facebook have become the default customer-service media for many companies and more are hopping on the bandwagon each day. By using these channels to reach out to your customers, you project an image that shows that not only do you listen, you care.
Increases customer loyalty
One independent study published in the March 2010 issue of Harvard Business Review, found that Facebook pages increase customer loyalty by 36%. The study also found that customers connected with the brand’s Facebook page had higher emotional attachment and greater psychological loyalty toward the brand.
Builds consumer trust
The transparency inherent in social media builds trust with potential consumers. Social media allows you to build and nurture a relationship with your clientele without visiting with each of them on an individual basis. Used correctly, this is an invaluable tool.
Social media has become one of the most popular and trusted ways to reach out to consumers. If you take the time to create a strong footprint in the social media arena you will see the benefit in your bottom line. Good luck!
If you’re looking to improve your website’s ranking, contact Marlin Consulting Solutions today. We can help you maximize your online visibility and reach your target audience.
Source: MarlinCS Blog
