Why You Need Social Media Marketing for Your Small Business

Social media marketing is without a doubt, an absolutely essential component for all small businesses and brands alike. But before we jump into why it is so important and how social media marketing helps your business grow, it is important to define what it even is. At its core, social media marketing is the use of social media networks in order to reach your target audience on the platforms they are actively using in order to get your advertising message across. These networks may include Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter – just to name a few.

Why is Social Media Marketing Important for My Business?

“Well, why does my business need to be on social media?” you might ask. The answer is simple. Most people, including your customers, regularly use some sort of social media regularly. In fact, most people in the United States are on at least three of the eight major social media networks.  This is according to a Pew Research Center study that also said that “roughly two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) now report that they are Facebook users, and roughly three-quarters of those users access Facebook on a daily basis.” And that is just one social media platform. With younger audiences particularly, Instagram and Snapchat have gained large usage over the last few years.

All this is to say that if you are not actively implementing a social media marketing strategy to reach your customers where they already are, you are missing out on opportunities to speak and engage with them. Which could mean leaving money on the table for your business.

And that is what social media marketing is all about.

What Goals Does Social Media Marketing Help Accomplish?

Whether you are using Instagram to reach a younger audience to buy your new hip merchandise, or are using Facebook to reach first time homebuyers, social media marketing can help achieve a number of objectives. Among the most common objectives include:

• Increase brand awareness
• Increase online sales
• Have people visit your business in person
• Get people to visit your website
• Encourage people to engage with and share your content
• Increase event attendance

Whatever is important and valuable to your business in terms of marketing, social media can help in accomplishing your business goals.

How Do I use Social Media Marketing to Benefit My Business?

We already know that there are A LOT of people who are on and actively using social media, so the real question is, “how do you reach them?” Unlike search marketing that focuses on what people are looking for online, social media marketing is all about placing your brand in front of the people who make the most sense to use your business’s products or services. This is accomplished by what is known as audience targeting. Using audience targeting, you can literally identify who is your desired potential audience. You can base on factors such as location, age, occupation, interests, and so on and so fourth. The point is that with this gem of a tool, you can hand select who you want to advertise to. And then, you do.

Whether you are trying to promote a new product your store offers or trying to get people to visit your restaurant to enjoy your new lunch menu, all of this can be accomplished with social media. And generally, it will cost much less than TV, radio, or outdoor advertising. This, in turn will help save your business money. After all, you determine who sees your ads.

In the end, many potential customers who would have otherwise never been exposed to your business can now learn about what you have to offer. Coupled with a strong strategy to build likes and followers on your social media pages, you can build a strong community of people who follow your brand on social media and are constantly ready to hear about what your company has to post next!

Need Help with Social Media Marketing?

As you can probably tell, social media has the potential to really help your business grow if used properly. Getting started on social media to reach your potential audience is the right way to go. But a strong social media strategy will take your business far! Because of this, we recommend trying out a GoDaddy Website Builder plan to easily integrate social media with your website, giving you a strong start on the right foot.

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