Given the current situation in the world right now, there is a large cloud of uncertainty hovering above our heads. CoViD19 has cast a shadow of doubt on a number of international economies, India included, with thousands of small and medium businesses wondering if and how they are going to recover from the tremendous losses that they have incurred having being shut for over a month. But as strategists plan a recovery approach, there’s no denying that there are some very obvious benefits of social media for business.
For all intents and purposes, social media is a free marketing tool, but more than that, it is very easily accessible. Whether through an agency such as Creometric or independently, the benefits of social media for business definitely outweigh any cons that you may find. So here are a few tips to boost your business using Social Media.
Keep your presence felt through all channels
Facebook might be the most popular social media platform in your circle, especially if you’re in your thirties or forties, but if you’re looking to tap the younger generation, you need to be where they are – and that means Instagram and TikTok, to say the least. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what platforms come and go, you need to be on all of it as long as it’s relevant. All major brands have a continuously updated presence on major social media platforms and are constantly experimenting with emerging trends as well.
Invest in influencer marketing
Now might be a good time to give influencer marketing a go. Depending on your product or service, having an influencer talk about your company might actually help given the fact that media consumption since the CoViD19 outbreak has increased by up to 75%. That means more demographics are consuming media across various platforms, and influencers make up a rather large portion of that.
Talk to your audience
If you’re posting online, that’s great. But if you’re not engaging your audience, then that’s the opposite of great. It’s un-great. Basically, what we’re trying to say is, when you post on Facebook and Instagram, it would bode better for business if you interact with your audience by replying to comments, and taking part in discussions. These people may not be consuming your product right now, but by engaging your audience online, it humanises your brand and you don’t come off looking like another giant robot run corporation.
Try the look-alike audiences option
You may not have heard of this, but platforms like Facebook allow you to reach out to audiences that you haven’t even identified yet. This is one of the greatest benefits of social media for business. With a little bit of money, you can run ad campaigns on Target Audiences that have been automatically compiled by Facebook, based on the people that you know already like or use your product or service. All you have to do is upload a list of email addresses of happy and satisfied customers, and let the algorithm do the rest.
Capitalise on your brand identity
If you haven’t given much thought to your brand identity, then it’s not too late to think long and hard about it. Just remember that a brand image or brand identity isn’t just your logo, colours, and tagline. A brand is a definition of an emotional relationship between customers and the business. It’s almost like a whole other entity, a person with its own personality, and should be treated as such. This personality, once developed, needs to come across on all your social media.
Be creative in telling people why they still need you
You may be locked in for now, but this has to end sometime. You need to keep reminding people why they miss you, without looking needy. Maybe you’re a dessert company, or you run a party planning service. Whatever your company, you need to make people feel like they miss you enough to mark their calendars and plan to use your service or consume your product once the lockdown ends. Basically, you want to be at the top of their list.
These are just a handful of suggestions that could help you maximize your presence online, allowing you to increase your gains from the various benefits of social media for business. Are you doing something that’s working for you? And would you like to share it? Drop a line in the comments below.
