Tuning in to Social Media for Business – Facebook, Twitter, etc.

In a technologically driven generation, content is dubbed to be the new digital currency for businesses and social media being the “holy grail” for marketing.

Social media has certainly accelerated the ROI (Return of Investments) for many businesses in increments never seen before. Many entrepreneurs have tapped into diverse social networking sites like LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, Twitter, etc. to create a strong virtual presence and amplify brand awareness.

Why use social media for promoting your business? There is beauty in diversity – especially because you get to promote your brand through different channels.

Word-of-mouth advertising has transcended into a virtual platform at which you can use for free. You can easily spread the word and reach your target market in a few clicks especially with the synergy of both traditional advertising and social media management.

Tuning in to social media has definitely stacked up more benefits than one for your business. It’s more than just a makeover – it’s a complete overhaul that has propelled your enterprise into a major upgrade.

Here are the Top 5 benefits of using social media for your business:

• Brand Recognition. Around 70% of adults are active in social media sites and 2.8 billion people have access online. Research has shown impressive figures of how social media can create brand awareness in rates more powerful than TV or print media combined. Taking a huge slice of the internet pie has certainly been made possible with being active in social media. Becoming a household name in social media is possible if you keep your content fresh and up-to-date. Your business will be considered reputable if you have a strong following and you engage your customers on a daily grind.

• Establish Strong Connections. People want to interact primarily (not with things) but people especially if you do business online. The human element in businesses makes you establish strong connections with consumers. It is important to spread your risks online but do not spread thinly as this can make or break your marketing strategies online. You have to be consistent and focus not just on revenue but building relationships.

• Boost Traffic. A strong media presence can definitely stir up a robust network of followers. You can easily drive targeted traffic to your site to get more opt-ins or conversions. Building links is important when mapping your social media marketing strategy. Making use of wide variety of social media networks and tools will help you gain mileage in the marketplace over a huge pool of competitors. You can gain organic and paid traffic with the proper implementation of SEO strategies. The right keywords and evergreen content will certainly get the link juice flowing to your sites.

• Keep Customers Engaged. You are not just aiming for website traffic or impressions – but creating targeted conversions. How do you keep customers engaged online? Capture their attention with wide variety of content – images, presentations, infographics, videos, and blog posts. Content should be relevant, engaging, and informative in order to attract more customers and getting repeat orders. Gearing them towards a sales funnel is an important process in marketing. Grabbing their attention is one step, but the real challenge is in keeping your clients engaged.

• Increase Sales. There is a social media formula to success but it varies depending on your target market. It’s a no-brainer that advertising with the use of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. can definitely impact your sales. With the integration of the mobile platform, businesses take advantage of digital advertising that can easily send alerts or push notifications on promotions, sales, or events that people receive automatically on their mobile phones. This has been designed to catch up even with people who are always on the move.

Social media is a game changer in the world of advertising. The huge demarcation between traditional modes of advertising with social media is that it does not take a shotgun approach and bombard you with headlines that oversell. Social media, on the other hand, is all about storytelling. The secret formula to the key players or top influencers over the internet is that their content is socially provocative and engaging.

You can definitely gain that competitive edge when you market using Instagram, Pinterest, Slideshare, Facebook, Twitter, etc. – especially if you take time to tune in to the needs of your market, study your competition, improve products and services, and create a real story for your brand.

Stories sell like the proverbial hotcake. It’s all about getting personal with your target market. The biggest names in the industry have gained the trust and hearts of consumers because they are able to tell compelling stories that people can relate to. These are the stories that people find worthy of liking, following, and sharing to vast networks.

“Content is king” and providing real value and actionable information is important to your target market. Knowing that a brand cares enough to align their products and services in accord to the needs and demands of their market will surely take the lead in the industry.