Why Social Media is so Important to Business’ Today..

Over the last 10 years, social media has transformed the way we use the internet. It’s been around in various forms since the very beginning of the World Wide Web but we’re now seeing it used in entirely new ways and many of us live out large portions of our lives online. However, that’s the consumer…why does your business need social media?

This boom in digital culture is both sweet and sour for businesses and brands. The rise of social media brings incredible opportunity but also some very heavy responsibility for businesses who choose to embrace it.

To provide information…

Social media is an important platform not just for social interaction, but for information. It is often the quickest and easiest way to give your customers important information. Every post on social media can be seen as a newspaper headline or a ‘this just in…’ moment.

While you can promote your products to increase sales, it shouldn’t be overlooked that social media is an important tool to inform your customers of critical information, such as ‘We are closed from tomorrow for two days. Apologies for any inconvenience caused’.

People may not check your website every day, but you can bet they’ll check their Facebook.

To communicate…

It is also an easy and quick point of access for customers to reach businesses that they’re interested in. In an ever more digital world, people are moving from traditional communication methods and seek a more convenient option. A quick message on social media avoids being on hold in a never ending telephone queue and allows both customer and company to respond when it is convenient for them.

You could also set a custom auto reply for when you receive a message on Facebook to let your customers know when you’ll get back to them.

What opportunities does social media bring?

The way users occupy digital spaces means that a whole wealth of data is available for businesses and brands to tap into. Data is crucial and it’s important that, as marketers, we all recognise the importance of it, but there is a much more powerful ‘pro’ to positioning your brand on social media – relationships with customers.

Social media lets you listen to conversations that your existing and target audiences are having in order to better understand their wants and needs. Of course, business boomed and market research prevailed long before social media, but can you really afford to stick to old methods and ignore the digital boom?

With great relationships comes great responsibility…

These changes in the way your customers’ behave and communicate mean their expectations have also changed. They expect information to be accessed quickly and easily. They expect problems to be solved and questions to be answered quickly by their favourite brands. The fact your business is being held responsible to these new standards can seem overwhelming, particularly when it doesn’t necessarily mean the time or money is available to help you live up to them, but the conversation is happening regardless and customers will engage with the brands and businesses that ARE present online.

So, why does your business need social media? Because if you’re not actively engaging with your customers, a competitor will be.

Utilising These Relationships

Like any relationship, the one between you and your customers online will need nurturing and this ongoing process of growth should be your main goal. When you’re familiar with traditional metrics of success and ROI it can be difficult to step back and lean into a more qualitative approach, but putting in the time to create genuine content and build real relationships will serve your business well further down the line.

Gathering Information

When you’re listening to your customers and building relationships with them, you’ll also pick up on the wealth of information they share online. This includes reviews, opinions and areas for improvement and that can become invaluable research for your business to use. Simply being present and active online will help you to tap into this but using social listening tools can also help.

So, it should now be a little clearer why your business needs social media. To summarise, the digital world will continue to flourish and customers will ask questions and have conversations regardless of your presence. Since these relationships and the information they provide can be so valuable, why wouldn’t you give social media your all?

At Marvel at Everything, we offer a wide range of marketing and design services from our office in Buckshaw Village, Lancashire. We are experts in social media management.

Using social media platforms to engage with your audience to build your brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic.

We can creatively manage your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.

If you need help with social media and digital marketing, whether it’s because you lack the expertise, the time, or both, call 01772 457621 or email digital@marvelateverything.co.uk and we can have a no obligation chat about how Marvel at Everything may be able to help you. Visit the digital page of our website to find out more about the digital services we offer.

Throughout 2022 we’ll be sharing more insights, tips and how to’s on our blog so like us on Facebook to make sure you’re the first to hear!