You may or may not be old enough to remember the early 1980’s where forgetting to disconnect your AOL connection could cost you a small fortune. Without going into a long history of how the internet has grown up, the rise of mobile computing and global social networking sites like Facebook have proven that social media marketing is not something you should overlook.
Social media marketing is key to personalizing your brand and connecting with your target audience. It’s a way to make your company accessible to those who are already interested in your product as well as make you visible (and viable) to those who don’t know you yet.
And even if you don’t have a crystal-clear understanding of how Facebook news feed works for example, rest assured that there are enough people out there who feel confident interacting with social media and are making this industry grow at an astonishing rate. Facebook alone has about 2.23 billion active users.
OK, but what role does social media play in my marketing?
Forget the notion that social media’s main objective is your friend sharing what they had for dinner. It has news that people use: According to the Pew Research Center, about two-thirds of Americans admit that they get some of their news on social media.
Another important distinction with social media is that the news and information you are getting is not a one-way street. Social media also interacts with you as you are getting the information. Whether you like something, respond to a post by commenting on it or rate a product or service, you are an active participant. And with social networking predicted to rise by another 25% over the next 5 years, you have an incredible opportunity to create relationships you’re your customers, grow your brand image and spread the word about your products.
There’s no question that marketing via social media is extremely advantageous for both new businesses and established companies. Start engaging with your customers and get some conversations going. And, just as importantly, keep the momentum going! If you continue to post information that is relevant to them, you’ll soon realize the rewards.
social media marketing
