Strengthen Your Online Presence with Social Media

How many times do you check your social media accounts in a given day? A 2015 report by GlobalWebIndex found that on average, people spend about 1.72 hours per day on social media, which equates to about 30% of our daily online time that is dedicated to those sites.

So what does this mean for you? As a business owner, engaging with your customer base regularly promotes brand awareness and loyalty, which Forbes magazine cite as the number 1 and 2 goals for business marketing in North America. Those are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Social media provides near limitless benefits to your business — if you do it right.

Increased Customer Service

It's no secret that people use social media as a platform to praise excellent customer service as well as air any grievance they may have with a particular company. If you head over to the Twitter page of your favorite company, chances are you'll see evidence of this phenomenon.

Becoming part of the conversation around your business can help you turn around a bad reputation, or reinforce your brand’s good reputation. Social media posts have the potential to be seen by millions of people each day. Seeing a positive exchange between a company and an unhappy or concerned customer can set your customer service a cut above the rest.

Free Extra Advertising

Popular social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter work on the premise of sharing what you like with others. So when one of your loyal customers shares or likes a post of yours, it reaches their entire friend’s list. What an easy way to get your name in front of people who may not otherwise be looking for you but may need you in the future!

Though an active social media presence alone isn’t enough to keep the leads flowing, it can be a great way to add some additional visibility for what you do.

Real Time Feedback From Your Target Audience

With an active presence, your fans and followers will be more likely to utilize this as a platform to discuss your business which can give you insight into what they want and expect. The best part is, these people already make up your target audience so you get immediate insight into what those most likely to partner with you really want.

Extend Your Professional Network

Networking with other businesses can help you grow your business and client base as well. Getting to know a company with a complementary service can be beneficial in obtaining new clients if you both advertise for each other. For example, if you run a painting service, you may benefit from networking with a cleaning service who specializes in apartment move-ins/ outs. Since both services are usually needed during this time, both companies have a go-to friend who is going to recommend their services to customers seeking service!

If you are direct competitors, it’s good to see how the other side does business. Knowing your competition only helps your team modify desired behaviors, avoid their undesirable behaviors, and find innovative ways to set yourself apart.

Be Seen as an Expert in Your Field

Your social media pages offer a great opportunity to show who you are and why you’re an authority in your industry. Post relevant content that could benefit your customers. Have a plumbing business? Share articles about the benefits of hiring a professional vs. DIY. Do you specialize in custom and new home construction? Post home decor and architecture trends. Sharing your knowledge with your customer base strengthens their confidence that you do really know what you’re doing and hiring you for their next project is a no brainer!