Humans are social creatures, and ever since the advent of the internet, we knew it would only be a matter of time before we found ways to forge social interactions — even friendships and relationships — online.
As a business owner, you want to build a relationship with your clients. Having an amazing website with great content that is optimized for search engines is great, but if you are not taking advantage of social media, you are still missing a piece of the marketing puzzle.
Social Media Can Mean Increased Exposure
Your first thought might be, “But I already have my own website. Why do I need a Facebook page or Twitter profile?”
The answer, is, quite simply — the social aspect.
How much time and effort does it take to build traffic to a brand new website? Social media platforms offer a better stage for connecting with ideal clients, and build traffic to your actual website. In a setting such as Facebook, where millions of users browse different business pages every day, you can increase visibility for your business. Think of it as having a billboard at a busy intersection downtown.
Better Insight Into Clients’ Opinions
A customer might email a restaurant directly if they have a lengthy complaint about the service. But a patron who is enjoying their food, and wishes to quickly make a nod to their favorite lunch special, would probably resort to sending out a Tweet. “Enjoying the taco lunch special @authenticMEX”, their post might read.
These quick snapshots can provide you with a better insight into what your costumers are thinking. What products are they enjoying more? What are they not satisfied with? How can you improve?
Better Client Relationships
Having this insight could also help you in building relationships with clients. Part of a great business strategy is to make every client feel like a priority. Personally connecting with them through social media, by replying to Tweets or Facebook posts, can be a way to make clients feel like they have a more personal relationship with your businesses.
This is even more important in cases where a costumer is dissatisfied — if you have good marketing sense, and know how to handle the situation, effectively responding to negative reviews (effectively, not aggressively!) can show other costumers that your business is willing to right wrongs, and that you are committed to costumer service.
Social Media Shaping The Future of Business
Nowadays, social media might just have surpassed television in terms of consumption. As a business owner, you want to be where your potential clients are. You want to be there to respond to their questions and concerns. You want to know what is being said about your business. Having a social media strategy, in this case, just makes sense.