Everywhere you turn you will see people casually scrolling through their Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, or even Pinterest. Ask anyone you know whether they use at least one of these platforms, there's a 90 percent chance they will say yes. (And if they say no, they probably are seen as a social pariah.) Everyone, everywhere around the clock is using social media.
According to the Datareportal Digital 2022 Global Overview Report, 4.62 billion people around the world use social media — that's more than half of the world!
Social media has come a long way and it has become extremely important to consumers. Most people are using social media to inform their buying decisions, which has completely transformed how businesses use social media to reach customers.
The Importance of Social Media Marketing
The world might be moving a bit too fast for businesses that have not yet embraced social media. The undeniable reality is that social media marketing is a critical essential strategy that connects companies to a much broader consumer base. If more than half of the world is looking at a screen, then your goal should be to appear on those screens. Getting more people to see your product via social media, can significantly increase your exposure and benefit your business.
Here Are Some Reasons Why Social Media Marketing is Important:
1. Brand Awareness
Before we used to learn about new products or services through television and radio ads. But now, social media has evolved into a place where you can easily discover and learn about new brands. Companies are telling their brand stories in creative engaging ways that uniquely communicate their voice and core values. This personalized approach can distinguish them from other brands while also building familiarity and trust among a community.
2. Engage New & Existing Customers
People love to feel connected to brands. Smart companies know that to attract and retain sales they must build strong engagement with their audience. Brands see their social media channels as great opportunities to interact and create meaningful conversations with potential and existing consumers. You want people to like, comment, and share your content. These actions are so powerful that it impacts your overall reach.
3. Increase Traffic
Social media engagement can increase traffic to your website and media channels. It is important to optimize your profile with visuals, videos, and even blog links as it enhances your social media engagement. It is beneficial to have a social media marketing strategy that provides consistent content that matches your brand aesthetic across all channels. These components can easily drive traffic and convert website visitors into customers.
4. Generate Leads
Great content and positive interactions with users on your social can generate leads and conversions. Creating a memorable user experience on your social media channels, can attract consumers and make them what to learn more about your brand. This is where having an authentic brand voice can come into play. Nobody is interested in a brand that just wants to sell you their products. People want to feel connected, which means humanizing your brand is pivotal to encouraging interest.
Developing Impactful Social Media
A successful social media strategy starts by choosing which platforms you wish to utilize. Think about your target audience, how you can reach them, and which channel might be more appealing to them. A place to start can be brainstorming a social media strategy based on your goals and the type of content you would like to share. There are thousands of brands using social media, it is up to you to define what your unique values and qualities are that will make you stand out in the digital sphere.
Trends to Watch Out for in Social Media
Ensuring you are examining and staying up with the current social media trends is important to fuel your strategy and stay relevant in a competitive space. Here are three trends you should think about in 2022:
TikTok has shown us that video content is a king and short-form videos have taken social media by storm. After this video boom, even Instagram rushed to transition to this trend by introducing reels and IGTV to the public. TikTok has also launched a number of useful tools, like ads and business profiles. The app has quickly shifted from just being used among young creators looking to show off their dance moves into one where brands can reach Gen Z.
Consider paid advertising on smaller platforms. It isn't news that companies are placing ads on unpopular marketing channels such as Snapchat and Pinterest. A study showed that ads on Pinterest had higher returns and cheaper conversion rates compared to ads on other social channels.
Influencer marketing is what’s hot now. Social media networks are investing big bucks to use creators to market their products or services. The influencer industry is at an all-time high — expected to be worth $13.8 billion this year. This creator economy is suggesting that using a range of micro-influencers to well-known creators is key to higher engagement and conversion rates.
Many things should be considered when establishing a social media strategy. But one thing is for sure, you need social media for your business because the benefits are endless.
Comments