I can write a list of reasons why social media is important for your business. I could even make give 2014 reasons, as it’s a new year. However, Google and social networks are overloaded with social media tips, tricks and tools. This blog post highlights the importance of social media to today’s businesses by highlighting it as ‘Number 1’ on the New Year’s Resolution list.
As a startup business, marketing is important and the challenge is to get seen by your target audience. Likewise for SME’s and established organisations, social media is a great option for spreading word of mouth in a cost-effective way. Setting up profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+ (amongst others) is free but the main commitment is time.
Whatever your target audience, they will at some level expect to find, connect and engage with you via social networks. SEO is still a top priority for websites to get found but Google also appreciates your whole online presence from social media content publishing to blogging. Therefore, creating interesting, engaging and shareable content is going to be beneficial for drawing web traffic back to your website. Using keywords and phrases associated with your business in your content will also help boost your position on a Google search.
With the competitive nature of online advertising, it is also worth noting that a minimum budget should be set for further promotion in the form of online adverts. You can build a social media following organically but even if you have a large number of followers, you can’t guarantee that they will see every post. Therefore, Facebook advertising can help to get individual posts seen by a larger audience or increasing the number of likes for the page. In the same way, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ also offer advertising features to improve the engagement of your accounts and build followers quicker. When combined with a particular promotion, such as a competition, your page is likely to benefit greatly.
As you get your 2014 to-do list organised, a challenge is always to schedule when work will get done and by whom. Business owners often under-estimate the time needed for a particular task and so important tasks get left behind, which can prevent business growth in the long term. As a Digital Marketing and Social Media Consultant, I can help you plan a social media strategy for the year ahead or train your staff, so you can fit it into your calendar. Alternatively, I can carry out market research and manage your social media accounts or blog on your behalf, so I can respond accordingly and quickly to interest and engagement from your followers.
Save precious time so you can focus on the core of the business and watch it grow this year!
For more information or a free initial consultation, contact Jon Exton on 07739126188 or email jon@socialant.co.uk.
Jon Exton
Twitter: @thesocialant
