Small businesses have a lot of competition. That’s why most small businesses are (wisely) constantly searching for new methods for gaining exposure and fine-tuning their marketing strategies. Although a dwindling minority of business owners may still feel antipathy to the idea, these people are Luddites – social media is clearly necessary to stay competitive in today’s age of marketing. With over 5 billion active social media users worldwide in 2024 – and a projected 6 billion by 2027 – social media is where businesses can connect with customers. Even if you own a small business that has been in your family for years with a solid customer base, your future customers are on social media, and to keep your business growing and to avoid being overtaken by competitors, you need to get on it too.
Why Social Media Is Crucial For Your Small Business
Everybody’s doing it – and here’s why you should too.
- To increase brand awareness: Social media isn’t just where people socialize and connect with each other. Social media recommendations generate 88 percent of consumer purchases, which is why you should be marketing your products and services there. Moreover, today’s consumers use social media to discover new brands, and they are also prone to sharing posts with their circle, helping to build brand awareness for your business.
- To increase website traffic: Social media platforms help drive traffic to your website. For example, you can post your website URL on your account bio so that users can click on it whenever you post on your story or feed. Educating users on your products and services through your feed to help draw in more consumers to spend money on your brand and business.
- To promote content: Social media is an effective and cost-friendly (free!) way to promote content. Businesses have their pick of multiple popular social media platforms out there to showcase their expertise and express their creative side. Use social media to offer fun facts and about the services and products you provide so that you stay on the forefront of your customers’ minds.
- To understand your customers better: Understanding your target audience is key to effective marketing. Social platforms like Instagram and Facebook are a great way to define your target market through data aggregation. Look through the people who follow you on social media to get a better idea of your consumer base so that you can tailor your content to be more effective.
- To communicate with your customer base: Social media is ideal for communicating with your customer base in a way that feels informal yet remains effective. Answer customer questions in real-time, address complaints to make customers feel heard, and engage with customers on live feeds to make them feel connected with your brand.
- To stay a step ahead in the game: Although there are benefits to being unique and not doing every single thing your competition does, it’s essential to be mindful of what your competition is doing in order to keep an edge. If your competition has an active social media presence that makes them more visible to customers, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do the same.
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Social media should play a key role in any small business’s marketing strategy in today’s digital age. Call Affordable Digital Marketing to learn more about how you can market effectively to your target audience today!