Social media might have started out as just a way for people to connect with old friends and stay in touch with family, but it has evolved into something much more than that. These days, social media is a marketing machine that generates huge revenues for the companies that operate the sites. That is why it is so important for small business owners to fully grasp the importance of social media in their marketing strategies.
Why Social Media Is Necessary
Most small businesses have a very limited budget when they are first getting started out. They have to keep tab on every dollar and cent that they spend. Social media opens a door to marketing in a way that does not cost very much money. Examples of effective marketing on a social media website are as simple as creating a hashtag that people start to use regularly.
The social media websites allow you to create a page for free of course. From there, you can do your own marketing campaign by choosing to purchase ads or other marketing materials for a relatively low price. Even better, you can target exactly the kind of customers that you desire.
The Differences Between Sites
Not all social media sites are created alike obviously. Each has its own unique twist on what social media is and can be. Knowing a little about each site can help you determine if you should join a particular one or not. Let's take a look at some of the sites based on how they are described by growthgurus.com.
Facebook- This is the big one right here. There are more than one and a half billion (with a b) active monthly users on Facebook. Chances are, you have a Facebook yourself. Thus, it is obviously the kind of place to start when it comes to social media. You want to be engaging with the users there simply because there are so many of them right there. Facebook also provides great tools for screening out just the customers that you want to speak to directly.
LinkedIn- A business-oriented social media network to some extent, LinkedIn is a platform where you can be successful in finding a job. At the same time, a lot of marketing is going on there. It is quite obvious that a person with a LinkedIn profile is either trying to find work, or at least network with people in their industry. Either way, there are marketing opportunities there.
Twitter- Legendary for starting viral trends, Twitter is the second largest social media outlet. It is commonly used by media types who want to spread out information quickly. The only limitation here is the character limit. If you can figure out how to market around this, then you are in good shape.
Boosting Your Reputation
Reputation is everything when it comes to operating a successful small business. Those who neglect to build up their reputation are allowing their competition to determine that reputation for them. It is a scary but true fact about the modern business world. The competition will do whatever they can to tear you down and make you something that you are not.
In a dog-eat-dog world, why not use social media to bolster your reputation among your audience and at the same time put out things that they can benefit from? They are sure to appreciate it, and you can gain a loyal following of customers that you did not have before.
This is perhaps the greatest miracle for the small business owner that there has ever been when it comes to social media. Almost nothing else could be as convincing to the public as a few positive reviews and fans on social media. If you have those things, then you have exactly what you need to make progress on your goals of growth in your company.
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