Let’s talk statistics
Studies over the years have shown a huge increase and shift towards social media presence. With over 4 billion users across the globe, there is huge opportunity to reach people within the social space. Not only this, but 67% of purchases are made online. With clear shifts in the dynamic of how people are making their decisions, 57% of these users are directly following a brand or business in which they are interested in.
These few statistics show that not only can you be attracting customers and increasing brand awareness, putting you ahead of competitors, but you are protecting the client base you already have. It’s important to humanise your social media and liaise with your customers, whether it be sharing funny anecdotes, replying to reviews and giving outstanding customer service or putting out your new product launches or recent offers.
To be found by customers, you need to find your customers
You may have a great business, an amazing service and be offering an incredible deal, but if nobody knows about it, you are missing out on huge opportunities to leverage your client base. By not only providing content yourself, but also being involved in the social space, you are directly interacting with your potential customers and putting your business into the space that is of most benefit.
That also means keeping up with how each platform helps people discover your content. For example, how hashtags on LinkedIn have changed shows why reach now depends less on old visibility tactics and more on creating relevant content for the right audience.
Who are your target audience?
In knowing your buyer persona (also known as ICP), you can directly target your marketing efforts towards this audience. Their age, interests, hobbies & location are important factors, as well as their goals and challenges they may be facing. Therefore, by knowing what they are interested in, which areas they frequent and the questions they are asking, you gain insight as to where users are spending their time on social media. Knowing this information allows you to target your business towards these areas, engaging with people on a personal level and creating an online presence.
Paid advertising on social media
This is where knowing your buyers’ persona really benefits your business. On social media, you can target your paid advertisements towards the exact customer base you want to attract. This means that the ads are being shown to those people who are most likely to be interested in what you are offering.
Targeting directly to your ideal customer base means you are optimising your brand’s budget, there is no wasted money on your adverts being shown to people who will not be interested in your services and all the focus goes towards targeting those people who you want to bring on board.
Engage with customers
Social media is a fantastic way to engage with prospects and customers. You can answer any questions and really connect with people online. Just like chatting in a shop or talking on the phone, social media is a great way to build a relationship. Responding to reviews, both good and bad, shows you both care and appreciate your customers, and responding to comments and questions gives prospects a chance to know more about your business and make a decision on what action to take.
Building your brand
As you are building a social media presence, you can really establish who you are as a business online. From a recognisable logo to the content you create, building your presence allows you to stand out. You can use these platforms to share pictures of new products or upload a video showing the services you offer, as well as posting deals and discounts that are sure to attract potential customers to your content.
User-generated content
The modern-day word of mouth. A huge benefit to social media is user-generated content. This simply means that your customers are uploading photos of the product they have purchased, they’re writing posts that talk about your services, sharing deals that they have claimed or reviewing your business. It is known that recommendations of services often perform better than the companies own advertising efforts.
Security in social media
Many small businesses have unfortunately failed due to lack of customers, therefore stepping up on your brand awareness plays a big key in securing your company. Being active on social media is a free way to show your products and services, interact with your customers and find prospects, and gain an edge over competitors.
4 top tips for your social media strategy
- Find your customers, where they frequent, what content they interested in
- Show yourself and what you do – people have to know what it is you are offering
- Chat to potential customers – get involved in conversations within your business area
- Retain your current clients, responding to questions, replying to reviews, etc. Let your customers know they are valued
