Social media has become a worldwide phenomenon since the outburst of Web 2.0; it changed the way that people used the internet. Users now look online to share and connect with others around the world. Businesses may have been reluctant to this new wave of technology in the beginning; however, they are now jumping on the social media bandwagon and taking full advantage of the marketing opportunities it offers.

 

The list of benefits social media can offer goes on and on, so to make it easier for you, we have summed up just a few of the key advantages.

 

Increasing brand awareness

Social media is one of the most cost-effective marketing methods that can be used by any brand, not only is it (mostly) free, but it gives you the opportunity to reach a wider audience and increase your brands visibility.

 

Engage with others, by simply ‘liking’ or ‘sharing’ content. This instantly gets your brand name recognised by others. Once they begin to share your content, you are opening up to a whole new network of potential clients. Your boundaries are limitless.

 

Engagement and building consumer loyalty

One major beneficiary of social media, is the ability to engage with your consumers. When a brand is commenting, liking and sharing, it personifies the brand as consumers tend to prefer to communicate with people rather can businesses.

 

Developing a loyal customer base is a vital component for any business and by engaging with your consumers you are showing you care about customer service, which in turn generates loyalty.

 

Provide a better customer service experience –

Consumers now look to social media to find out information about a business and by having social media accounts for your brand, you are giving customers the opportunity to contact you instantly. People expect fast response times and social media enables you to respond to them 24/7.

 

#Hashtags

With the world of social media, along came the hashtag. This can be one of the most useful tools to incorporate into your social media strategy, if used correctly. By providing a relevant hashtag to your post it will send your message further, it can be seen by thousands of people across the world in a matter of seconds.

 

Gain marketplace insight

What better way to find out what your consumers want than by directly talking to them? Through social media you can communicate with your target audience and monitor their interests and opinions. All social media platforms give you the chance to see what is ‘trending’, allowing you to understand what people are currently interested in, how can you get involved and get a step ahead of your competitors.

 

Find out what your competitors are doing

One quick and easy way to find out how your main competition is doing, is to check their social media. All businesses tend to share their latest venture on their social media site, giving you a heads-up on what is happening.

 

Drive traffic to your website –

All of your social media accounts link to your website, so anything you post can persuade a potential customer to view your site. If you are using social media to promote products/services, attach a link to the post so your followers can be directed to the website, making a better user experience overall.