The last 10 years have seen social media bursting onto the scene and making an impact on a number of industries.
While it may have started out as a way to connect with old friends and university classmates, it’s now expanded into an effective tool for marketing, and it’s bringing new developments with it, such as the plethora of smartphones we have available to us.
Recent changes at Google have now put mobile-friendly sites at a higher rank than their non-mobile counterparts. With many social networks offering their own mobile-friendly versions, we’ve proof that social media is at the top of its game when it comes to marketing – but here are five other reasons that you should implement social media marketing to drive your business forward.
Widespread brand recognition
The best way to get your business’ name out there is to utilise the abundant choice of social networks there are at your fingertips these days. Many businesses which we would not usually associate with being ‘social’ have had their presence increased thanks to social media usage – betting site Coral even has its own Google+, helping to push its brand recognition even further.
Improved customer loyalty
A report by Texas Tech University recently revealed that the most successful brands had engaged in social media campaigns. The report said: “Companies should take advantage of the tools social media gives them when it comes to connecting with their audience.” In the USA alone, 53 per cent of Americans who follow brands on social media were more loyal to those brands.
Higher conversion rates
Social media is essential for bringing a more ‘human’ element to your business, and if users feel that they can interact with your page, then they will be more inclined to visit and purchase your product. A study by Hubspot.com revealed that social media has a 100 per cent higher “lead to close” rate than outbound marketing.
Lower marketing costs
This is music to the ears of anybody who is setting up their own website – social media marketing is much cheaper! Studies have shown that social media marketing requires significantly fewer hours of labour, and for the most part, is free. Even sponsored posts on Facebook and Twitter are relatively cheap, but make sure you plan your cash flow before committing to this.
Better customer experiences
Expanding on the human element of social media, your customers will feel better looked after if they feel like they are talking to a human being rather than an automated robot. This is where Twitter works perfectly – by establishing a channel of communication with a dedicated set of customer service professionals, visitors will have their enquiries dealt with more efficiently and tell their friends about their experiences.