It’s the most common question I hear, “Do I really need to get my brand on social media?”
A simple question with such a multi-faceted answer.
Let’s start by defining what social media is. Social media is a collection of tools that are typically internet or mobile based. They combine technology with the ability for users to quickly create and share content with their online social circle. The most common examples include Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter, among many others.
Although most people relate social media with applications on their smartphone, social media originated on desktop computers with the rise of social networks such as Friendster and MySpace in the early 2000s. Once they were on the platforms, users were able to connect with other people around the world via this new thing called “the Internet.”
As technology evolved, these social media followed suit and most (if not all) social platforms have conveniently positioned themselves as these neat little squares on our smartphone screens.
Today, social media lends a voice to brands and marketers alike and allows them to communicate what they stand for in a personalized, conversational tone directly with their audience. Not only does it allow for communication, it lets you speak to a wide audience with the majority of social platforms growing their user base at a steady incline. In June 2017, Facebook announced that they had 2 billion active monthly users on their site. That’s nearly a quarter of the entire world’s population!
With more and more people signing up for social media accounts, it goes to show that people want to stay connected. Furthermore, multiple surveys have shown that people are seeking out their favorite brands on social media in order to stay close to their updates. That’s why roughly 80% of Instagram’s 800 million viewers choose to follow brands on the social media platform. Users are reaching out to brands for inspirational, engaging content – and that’s where you come in.
Now, more than ever, social media users are on the look out for beautiful, inspirational content that they can apply to their every day lives. By knowing your target audience better than the back of your hand, social media could be a quintessential component of your marketing strategy.
tl;dr yes you do need to get your brand on social media, here’s why…
Social media is like the free billboard of the internet – use it!
Social media is essential for brand awareness and recognition, not to mention that it’s completely free to use. Let’s say you need to buy a kazoo. Would you rather buy it from the brand you’ve seen before that is known for their high-quality kazoos and customer service? Or someone you’ve never heard of? Clearly, there’s value in being seen in order to make your brand name stick.
Just like a billboard, you’re getting your message out to the masses. However, with social media you’re able to be much more nimble and adjust your strategy with every piece of content you share.
It’s a 2-way conversation that your audience expects.
Many businesses forget that social media is an engagement platform. Gone are the days that you could post a link to your blog or website and watch the traffic come pouring in. Today’s average digital consumer experiences content overload on a regular basis with thousands of content creators vying for their attention. This stresses the importance of creating content that is valuable to your followers and encourages a conversation between your brand and your audience.
Standing out in a user’s feed necessitates an engaged, thought-provoking experience. What does that mean exactly? It means your posts must evoke some type of reaction or emotion out of your followers. It needs to motivate them to take action and interact with your content. Not only is this necessary in today’s social media landscape, it’s something users expect and want to see from their favorite brands. (Hint – here’s a post to get you on the right track!)
In the end, it all boils down to transparency and authenticity, two values that have become a staple in today’s marketing campaigns. Being honest with your followers and allowing them to share their insights will build their trust and loyalty. In addition to this, most social media platforms utilize highly intelligent algorithms which reward engaging, relevant content. The more your audience interacts with what you’re sharing, those algorithms will share your posts with your audience’s social circle, further expanding your possible reach!
Your competition is using social media.
Need I say more?
If you’re not on social media yet but your competition is, then they’ve already got a leg up on you. Staying competitive means getting social, so get with the game before you get played!
It can help your SEO efforts.
Just to be clear, social media doesn’t directly affect your SERP rankings. However there are ways that SEO and social media definitely do complement each other. Most obviously it creates opportunities for link building and social sharing. With more people seeing your content, the more potential there is for them liking it, sharing it, and posting it on their own channels.
With increased traffic travelling to your website, it sends signals to search engines saying “hey, look over here! This is important!” which speeds up your content indexation. More importantly, companies’ social media profiles can appear at the top of SERPs for branded, relevant keywords. All of these things result in improved brand recognition and increased chances of acquiring new clients.
It’s great for market research and finding customers you didn’t even know existed.
Social media is the perfect way to find customers that you didn’t even know existed. Who knows, maybe it’ll turn out that avid golfers are huge fans of your business which specializes in men’s dress socks. Take the time to engage with your audience and analyze who interacts with your content the most. Your findings might surprise you!
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are so many reasons why you need to get your brand on social media. From finding new customers to increasing brand recognition, it’s an invaluable tool that your business needs to start making use of – ASAP!
Feeling inspired to kick start your social media strategy? Check out this post on how to do just that and this post on how to get your followers to promote your brand on social media for you!
nvision also offers a social media marketing workshop for those of you looking to seriously amp up your social media game. Get in touch with us today to learn more.
Which social media channels do you find garnish the most attention for your website? I’d love to hear your input! Leave your comments below and let’s keep the conversation going.
