Social media has grown into its own marketing industry. To say that social media marketing is ubiquitous is like saying the sky is blue, but it’s still very much worth mentioning. This multi-faceted marketing tool, when used strategically and consistently, enables businesses to strengthen their branding, advertise, and reach their audience all at once.

THE WHY BEHIND SOCIAL MEDIA AS A MARKETING TOOL  

Most businesses have readily embraced diving into the fast-paced world of clicks and scrolls after witnessing what the digital world is capable of doing. However, social media cannot stand alone. It must be a part of a marketing strategy – otherwise, it’s just like a runaway horse, headed nowhere.

Your social media strategy needs to have these five aspects to achieve marketing success:

RAISE BRAND AWARENESS

Becoming a solid and trusted brand is an essential goal every company should aim to establish. If your target audience does not recognize your brand, how will you ever generate your customer base and sales?

Brand awareness is the top reason marketers are using social media. Most of the world’s businesses now use social media to expand their brand’s reach, knowing fully a normal person spends an average of two hours daily scrolling through the different social media channels. That makes it the perfect platform to widen your reach and captivate your target audience’s attention.

DRAW TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE

An increase in your website traffic is the most cost-effective way to increase your sales, especially if you are selling a product or digital service. This means you need a solid strategy to boost your online presence. Social media has been a game-changer in the way businesses carry out strategies and related activities that ultimately draw in website traffic.

Because of the exponential reach of social media, some businesses even forego having a website altogether. However, if you want to legitimize your business and go global, social media platforms still need to be anchored to a tasteful, relevant website.  

ACQUIRE NEW LEADS

As a marketer, what comes to mind when you first hear about social media? People immediately associate it with brand-building first and sales as a close second. But the truth is you can use Facebook or Twitter to generate leads and find people interested in your product or service.

An essential path to your sales funnel, lead generation often occurs in Facebook groups and pages, Instagram comments, Twitter feeds, Pinterest pins, and LinkedIn networks. TikTok is the rising lead generating platform, with TikTokers gaining followers like crazy and multiplying their influence that leads to business opportunities. You can post your business on TikTok and generate 10,000 followers overnight - a feat unheard of in a non-digital platform.

INCREASE BOTTOM LINE/REVENUE

Businesses nowadays allocate a chunk of their budget to social media marketing because, in hindsight, it is still far less expensive than promoting with offline media. And the reach is exponential.

The increase in profit from successfully using social media to market your product or service far outweighs the costs you’ll incur, so it’s definitely a win-win situation for every brand and business.  

BUILD A LOYAL FOLLOWING OR COMMUNITY

Probably the most inherent effect of marketing via social media is building a community. When you do offline marketing or advertise through offline media, the opportunity to create and nurture a community centered on your product isn’t really that quick or easy. You need to spend thousands of dollars to set up networking events or even the standard “party” celebrated by network marketing companies.

Creating a community on Facebook takes less than a minute. Let that sink in.

But it’s not just the ease of creating a community, but the ability to harness it to a community of loyal followers who become your unofficial brand ambassadors. They will testify about your product’s benefits or how your services have helped make their lives better. And this type of loyal following is the best-case scenario for your business.

BUT THE KEY METRIC IS ENGAGEMENT

Social media provides access to communication, marketing, and advertising. But despite the many benefits of social media, you can only maximize if you measure follower’s engagement.

Why does social media engagement matter? Generally, it helps you measure how well your social media campaigns are performing and how your audience reacts to your brand.

Most clients prefer to have a personal and close engagement with a brand. As much as possible, respond to their comments or follow and engage with similar or local businesses. And if you really want to go the extra mile, send them personalized handwritten cards to let them know you value them as clients and the business that you bring in. This will foster a stronger connection between your business and your customers.

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