Why Businesses Can No Longer Avoid Social Media
by Morgan Cruz, Marketing Content Coordinator, MHI | @mhi_morgan
It doesn’t matter how large or small, what you do, or who is your demographic, there is a place for every business on social media. According to a study by app maker Locket, the average person unlocks their phone 110 times a day. Americans spend more time checking their social media accounts than any other major internet activity, including email. A huge audience is one of social media’s big advantages. Below are three reasons why you should consider integrating social media into your marketing plan.
Numbers Tell All
Before making assumptions about social media it is important to take a close look at statistics. Here are a few numbers that may surprise you.
– Facebook has 1.393 billion monthly active users
– The largest growing demographic on Twitter are grandparents
– 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute
– LinkedIn reaches 200 countries and territories
Social media is not just for teenagers and college students. In fact, MHI’s Facebook receives the highest levels of engagement from Men age 45-54 and Women age 35-44. Chances are your target audience is talking, posting, sharing and liking on social media.
For more social media statistics visit expandedramblings.com
Do More with Less
The world’s most popular social media platforms allow you to create an account, develop networks, company awareness and support your brand reputation for free. Social media is a low cost marketing tool that helps establish your company’s presence within an industry. The output of high quality content will provide your audience with thought leadership and resources. As you engage with more people in your industry over time, your network and brand awareness will expand. Developing this online presence is a very valuable long-term investment.
Let the Customer Find You
Inbound marketing is taking over older and more traditional ideas of outbound marketing. According to Hubspot, “Inbound marketing focuses on creating quality content that pulls people toward your company and product, where they naturally want to be. By aligning the content you publish with your customer’s interests, you naturally attract inbound traffic that you can then convert, close and delight over time.” Outbound marketing such as, direct mail and commercials, pushes products and services and reaches an increasingly smaller audience.
Think of social media as a huge networking event. When you approach someone at this event would you say, “BUY MY PRODUCT!!”? No, of course not. This would be an unwanted interruption and chances are no one would listen. Instead, you would inform, engage, entertain, gain trust and receive a welcomed opportunity to tell about your product or service.
Social media platforms will draw potential leads to your website by increasing SEO or Search Engine Optimization. MOZ describes SEO as “the practice of improving and promoting a website to increase the number of visitors the site receives from search engines. There are many aspects to SEO, from the words on your page to the way other sites link to you on the web.” Here are a few examples that would increase the chances of customers finding you online: Informative blogs with industry keywords, tweets with links to your company website, and YouTube videos explaining your newest product or solution.
Now that you understand the power of social media, it’s time to start building your network. Connect with MHI on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, or Instagram for valuable insight, updates and join the conversation!
