The Key Benefits of Using Social Media for Business

Featured article by Catherine Hernandez, Independent Technology Author

From boosting online and in-store traffic to increasing your conversion rates, there’s numerous benefits of social media for business. Learn more here!

Worldwide, there are more than 2.6 billion social media users. For business owners, social media is a great way to reach both potential and current customers.

Still, many people are on the fence about using social media to promote their company because they’re not sure where to start or if it will be worth it.

However, there are some solid benefits proven to make it worth your while.

Here are some of the biggest benefits of social media for business. Check them out!

1. Grow Brand Awareness

First, using social media for your company can improve your brand awareness. It’s a great way to get your message in front of new people.

For example, 60% of Instagram users say they find new products on the platform. This happens on every other social media site as well.

The other great thing about social media is that you can get your message out for free if you want. Posting on your own feeds costs nothing and can get you some great exposure.

If you want to reach even more people, you can use social media ads on many of these platforms as well.

2. Increase Traffic to Your Site

For any company with an online presence, one of your main goals is to get more people to your site.

Whenever you publish a new blog post, get the word out by sharing it on all your social channels. Also, share information about company updates and fun events you have internally.

Do whatever you can to link back to your site. For example, consider posting an excerpt of a blog post with a link to the rest of the post as well. That way, to finish reading they have to visit your website.

This could lead to them making a purchase.

3. Increase Sales

Most companies use their websites as a tool to sell products or services. Social media is a great way to boost those sales.

Consider advertising your promotions and current offers on your social media. This is a great way to get the word out about them which will help to increase your number of sales.

As social networks continue to grow, there will be more and more opportunities to sell on social. For example, Instagram now offers clickable shopping links on their images.

Facebook also has ad formats that include more detailed product information and clickable links as well.

This will keep increasing with new social platforms as well.

4. Add Humanizing Your Brand to Your List of Benefits of Social Media for Business

When potential customers only see ads from your business, it’s hard to see the more human side of your company. That’s another way social media can be helpful.

Social media can add a more down to earth feel to your brand. Show behind the scenes content about how you produce your products or feature little bios about your employees.

Also, feature real-life testimonials or videos from current clients.

5. Generate Leads

If your business has a longer sales cycle or based on a long-term contract, your website isn’t used for selling products. In these cases, your goal is to generate leads for your sales team.

Well, guess what? Social media can generate leads as well!

In fact, Facebook even has lead generation ads. Consumers can enter their information inside the Facebook platform without having to go to a landing page.

You can also use any social media platform to lead people to a landing page where you gather their contact information. Keep in mind that the more leads you have, the more potential sales you can make.

6. Increased Brand Loyalty

Every company could benefit from increased brand loyalty. A loyal customer base means that you have a group of people supporting your business which translates into a steady stream of revenue.

One key way to achieve this is by interacting with customers on your social media sites. When customers have questions and leave comments on your posts, always be sure to respond to them.

Also, be aware that whenever you engage in social media marketing, you’re bound to receive some negative comments. Don’t delete them. Instead, take the time to respond to each comment.

This can leave a great impression with potential customers because they see that you’ll take the time to interact with them if they choose to buy. If there are ever any issues, you’ll take the time to make it right.

Sometimes, on social media, people will say things about your company that’s aren’t true. In these moments, be sure to share your side of the story in a kind way as well.

In everything you do on social media, remember that millennials are soon to become the biggest generation in the country. They like when brands are willing to interact with them on social media, so it’s a great idea to have someone in charge of responding to all messages and comments.

If not, you could be losing customers.

7. Grow Your Identity as an Authority and Thought Leader

Social media is a great way to establish your company’s position as an authority in your industry.

When people are looking to buy from a certain company, they want to feel like they can trust you. When you’re publishing relevant and helpful content on your social channels, you’re proving that you’re a leader in your circle of influence.

In other words, people will look to you for guidance because of your influence. This can also lead to a future customer relationship. Once they trust you enough, there’s a great chance they’ll want to buy from you.

Closing Thoughts

There you have it: some of the best benefits of social media for business! Now that you’ve gone through these points, it’s time to start your company’s social media strategy.

Have questions or want to learn more? Contact our team of experts any time.