Using social media for business can be very beneficial. According to one study, 92% of businesses say that they have used or are using social media platforms for marketing and advertising. There are several benefits to using social media for your business, including increased customer engagement, higher website traffic, improved search engine rankings, free word-of-mouth advertisement, and the ability to track consumer behavior.
Here are nine benefits of using social media for your business:
#1 Increased Customer Engagement
The number one benefit of using social media is increased customer engagement. Social Media Examiner found that 95% of marketers think "engaging with customers" was the most important benefit of social media marketing. Social Media Examiner also found that 86% of marketers think "creating brand awareness" was the second most important benefit. Businesses who use social media for marketing and advertising find it easier to engage with their current customers, as well as gain new business through current customers.
#2 Higher Website Traffic
According to Hubspot, social networks drive 20 times more traffic than search engines. This makes sense because a customer is much more likely to trust a referral from a friend or acquaintance than a link they receive in an email or on their Facebook wall. Social media interacts directly with consumers, resulting in higher traffic for your website and blog posts.
#3 Improved Search Engine Rankings
Social Media Examiner also found that search engine optimization was the third most important benefit of using social media. If your business is well-known and trusted, it will be easier for you to rank in search engine results. Social media profiles for a company can assist with search engine rankings, especially when consumers are searching for a local brand or service.
#4 Free Word-of-Mouth Advertising
The next two benefits of using social media involve word-of-mouth advertising from customers. According to Hubspot, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family over any other type of marketing. In addition, 82% of consumers tried a product or service based on a friend's referral. Since users have earned your company's trust through their posts and interactions, they become free advertisers for your business.
#5 Ability to Track Consumer Behavior
Businesses can see which posts and advertisements are most effective by tracking consumer behavior. Social media sites often have advanced analytics that allows you to track consumer interactions with your content, as well as unique insights into customer demographics. The more data a company collects through social media platforms, the better it will be able to target its customers and improve its advertising campaigns.
#6 Improved Search Engine Rankings
Opportunities for backlinks from reputable sources greatly benefit a company's website rankings in Google and other search engines. According to Hubspot, 31% of marketers saw an increase in organic traffic from increased Google rankings thanks to increased social activity on websites or blogs. Companies that have a strong social media presence have an easier time ranking well in Google and other search engines, bringing more business to their website.
#7 Ability to Track Consumer Behavior
The opportunities provided by social media for tracking consumer behavior are the next benefit of using social media. According to Hubspot, marketers who track consumer behavior through channels like Twitter or Facebook are able to generate four times as much revenue from each campaign as those who do not use tracking tools. This includes customer demographics, interests, locations, and online behavior. In addition to gaining a unique insight into your target market, you can also improve your advertising campaigns to better serve them.
#8 Free Word-of-Mouth Advertising
Social networking sites allow companies to interact directly with customers. These interactions are free advertisements for your business since other users will read about them on their feeds. The more you interact with your customers, the more they refer others to your business. This helps spread word-of-mouth advertising through social media channels.
#9 Improved Search Engine Rankings
Another benefit of using social media is improved SEO rankings, which provides a steady stream of traffic to your website or blog posts. According to Hubspot, "the number one way marketers obtain links is through blogger outreach campaigns." Bloggers can include links back to your company's website if they are interested in what you have to offer after reading an article about you on their personal blogs. This type of link building often results in higher rankings in search engines.
Social media for business has many practical applications, even if you don't use it to sell directly to customers. According to eMarketer, 77% of marketers planned on increasing social media marketing budgets over the coming year. If your company doesn't have a social media presence yet, now is the time to build one, before your competitors gain an edge over you by using these tools.
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