There's a saying in Marketing 101: hunt where the buffalo are. Your target market is already spending time on social media, but as a small business--especially B2B--you may not be sure social media is right for your type of business. But it absolutely is!
As a small business, a solid social media initiative can bring about one of the highest ROIs of any marketing technique. Here's ten reasons social media is perfect for small businesses and why your small business can't afford to miss out.
1. Increased SEO
Search engines, particularly Google, love social media. Because many articles are discovered by the reader through social sharing, it's much more likely that Searcher Joe is going to be looking for the same article that recently went viral on Facebook. Search engines want that fresh, hot content--and they know it's popular, in part, through hits generated by social media.
Not only do search engines favour content from social media sites higher, you'll also see SEO benefits in the backlinks that are generated--one of the lesser known elements that change your ranking. Plus, having well-optimized and maintained pages on sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and G+ that have a high Page Rank will make it easier for clients to find you.
2. Increased Site Traffic
Social media is incomparable in generating organic traffic to your site. Studies conducted in the last few months put more than 3/4 of all information shared as from Facebook. By introducing your company on social media, you're able to keep your brand in the minds of your audience far more frequently than through traditional means. And it's a positive feedback loop: increasing your search engine ranking leads through social media leads to increased site traffic, which increases your search engine ranking. Use this as a powerhouse of traffic.
3. New Audience
More traffic means new traffic--new traffic from people with whom you've already made an impression on social media. Through maintaining various sites you can reach new leads and break into a new audience--or just expand in your existing niche. There are simply so many people on social media that reaching new leads is inevitable. You still need to catch attention and focus on conversions, but the more leads you impact, the greater your odds are of sealing the deal.
4. Brand Exposure
Social media means community and conversation. Embrace it! You're now in the midst of your target audience where they're most comfortable. If you represent your brand well and can build a community or keep the conversation flowing, the brand exposure and recognition will follow.
5. Personal Touch
Social media is excellent for transparency, for letting your audience see a little behind the scenes and get to know you a little better. It's an excellent way to add a personal touch that is difficult to achieve through other marketing means. Social media, in its casual and personal nature, builds trust.
6. Word-of-mouth Marketing
Many B2Bs thrive on word-of-mouth marketing. Consider social media word-of-mouth marketing on steroids. If someone likes your business on Facebook, all of their friends see that recommendation. Have excellent employees that love to discuss the industry? Set up or join a related group on LinkedIn and let them chat away for a few hours each week. Social media allows word-of-mouth to snowball very easily.
7. Better Customer Service Opportunities
Social media is where people to go rant. Or ask questions. Or try to find recommendations. If you're on a social media platform, be there to provide the best customer service possible. This will increase your availability and show your audience that you're accessible and paying attention.
8. Additional Social Validation
Clients like to see that a hundred successful businesses have used your services before them, enough to want to stay in touch over social media. That social validation can be very important, but to prospective leads and to the general public when managing your reputation. If your company is mentioned briefly in an encounter in the supermarket between two acquaintances, you want to have a solid, active reputation online to be found.
9. Opportunity to Learn Your Market Better
Market research! Not only can you see the likes and dislikes of your market, you can learn about unresolved problems or unfulfilled product desires. And even better, you can join the conversation. Get to know your audience and learn how you can serve them better.
10. Promotions Made Easy
Social media marketing is about as close to free and you can get: it just costs a little of your time. It's marketing, branding and advertising in an expansive bundle that stretches far and doesn't cost a cent. For businesses was a small marketing budget, this is an excellent solution.
So what are you waiting for? Get started on social media and find us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn--we can't wait to have you join our conversations!
