Are you a business owner of a scaling startup? Or are you on a small marketing team? If so, you must know what’s it like to wear multiple hats. When things get hectic, there doesn’t seem to be enough time in a day to prioritise social media.
But it’s not a wise choice to write social media off that quickly.
With 2.65 billion social media users, we can say with absolute certainty that your customers are using and engaging with these sites on a daily basis. What’s more, they actively want to and expect to hear from you via these channels.
Power of social media marketing
While social media management may seem overwhelming, its importance cannot be overstated. It’s so important that 97% marketers are using social media and 78% of salespeople outsell their peers by using social media for their business. Here’s why:
1. Customers are using social to influence their purchasing decisions
Social media has started to play a huge role in the consumer decision making process too, particularly on Instagram with users buying products directly from the platform or influencer’s feed. In fact, according to a research from Sprout Social, consumers are 57.5% more likely to buy from a brand they follow on social media and 71% more likely to make a purchase following a positive social experience. As well as increasing sales and profits, a good social media presence can also work wonders for your brand equity. 71% of consumers who’ve had a good experience with a brand on social media, say they’re likely to recommend them to others.
2. Consumers use social media as a customer service channel
Social media plays a huge part in today’s customer service. It has become an important and valid channel for people to solicit and receive customer service. In today’s fast-paced world, your customers expect to hear from you promptly and if they don’t, it’s highly likely they’ll go elsewhere.
3. Building a community on social leads to loyal customers
If you make your audience feel like they’re part of a special group, chances are they’ll stay loyal to you. Use social media to create a hashtag that people can use to show others that they’re part of this group. Not only does this make it easy for you to find out what people are saying about you, it’s an excellent way to improve brand awareness and you don’t even have to do anything.