Small businesses need a social media presence, especially given the rise in social media platform users over the last year. Nearly 70% of U.S. adults use Facebook, according to the Pew Research Center. However, there has also been a significant rise in the number of users on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube as well.
That makes social media marketing a key part of every business’s marketing strategy. This article discusses the top reasons why social media presence is still important for small businesses.
Social Media Presence is Important
Social media marketing is ubiquitous, cost-effective, and highly profitable for businesses of all kinds.
According to a study by The CMO Survey, marketing budgets for social media are expected to more than double (from 11% to 24%) in the next five years. Statistics also show that almost 95% of young adults follow a brand through at least one social media network.
That establishes the fact that social media presence is still important and essential for small businesses that need stronger engagement and greater reach.
Why is a Social Media Presence Important for Small Businesses?
1. It helps you better understand your customers.
Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can be great resources to collect and aggregate data. Hence, you can get a clear understanding of your customers and your target market. Having a social media presence is key to finding potential leads and reaching your target audience.
2. It increases customer reach.
On average, internet users generally have 7.6 social media accounts. The number of internet users in the world is 4.2 billion, and the number is constantly growing. This makes social media a very effective tool to reach a wider audience. Fifty-two percent of millennials have said that social media advertisements influence their purchase decision of a certain product or service.
Along with that, communicating with your customer base is very important. Multiple contact channels increase reliability and brand reputation. Helping customers reach your business through social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram can be very profitable in the long-run. Real-time and consistent engagement with your customers can lead to the effective growth of your business.
3. It establishes brand presence.
It is undeniable that social media channels are the best way to establish your brand’s presence; however, that doesn’t mean you have to be on every single one. With the proper social media marketing strategies, you can express the voice of your brand and establish its presence and recognition in your target marketplace.
Over 30% of millennials and Generation X members regularly interact with brands on a monthly basis. This calls for the need of increasing visibility, which is effectively accomplished when you have a strong social media presence.
We are living in a digitally-savvy generation, and consumers are more inclined to buy from a business that offers a positive social media experience. Brand engagement builds trust with Twitter users. In fact, when brands engage with their consumers’ Tweets, 77% of them feel more confident in the brand.
Having active social media profiles and a strong presence will also effectively enhance your visibility on search engine result pages. That will help you obtain potential leads and connect with potential customers interested in your products or services.
4. It leads to better and greater brand loyalty.
Brand loyalty matters in today’s world. Most major brands as well as small businesses try to improve brand loyalty through their marketing plans and strategies.
Social media marketing is definitely a key element in building brand loyalty for all kinds and sizes of businesses. It is a known saying that, “It’s five times more expensive to attract a new customer than to keep an existing one.”
In today’s market, customers have a plethora of options and brands to buy the products or services they need. This means that your business needs to be consistent and efficient to retain a customer and build brand loyalty.
Brand loyalty is a two-way street. Customers expect businesses to offer them something in return for their loyalty towards the brand. Having a strong social media presence is a great way to build brand loyalty for your business.
Chatbots on Social Media Platforms are Cost-effective and Very Useful
Chatbots are a great way to enhance social media presence. It can be a great way to offer quick and effective customer service. They enable automatic replies to frequently asked questions and concerns of your customers. It can also offer on-demand information without having to check your messages all the time.
Chatbots are an important part of any social media marketing plan. We can effectively increase engagement, impress your existing customers. Also, it helps you acquire some new customers in the market.
Social Media to Ensure Success
If you were in doubt about social media marketing for your small business and if it would be a profitable investment, then we hope we have made the reasons amply clear to you.
With the rapid increase in the popularity of social media networks, social media presence is not merely an option for your small business anymore. It has become a necessity in 2021!
Make sure you hire the right professionals and adopt the right strategies for social media marketing, which can serve the needs and purposes of your business and ensure sustainability and long-term success.
