Using Social Media to Improve Business

The evolution of tried and true advertising and marketing strategies can largely, in part thank social media.  The vast world-wide web makes information readily available and also gives more customers an active voice, more than ever before.  By now, most of us are familiar with the presence of social media platforms (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn), but some may not quite know its true benefit, especially from a business standpoint.  At McCauley Marketing Services we work with our clients to develop a strong presence on social media because we believe it’s a great tool for building not only your brand but also a rapport with current and potential customers.  Below are a few benefits social media integration can lend to help improve your business (big or small).

Increase visibility.  For this you have to “give a little to gain a little.”  What we mean by this is that specific algorithms within say Facebook and Google+ rank the value of your content.  When someone searches for your particular service, they will see information that they might find interesting.  If you have a low number of followers/fans then your information is less likely to be seen by them and certainly even less by their friends.  We recommend testing out paid advertising to help you reach a broader audience.  For example, with Facebook you have the opportunity to spend as little as $5 a day to get your company’s name more visible.  Whether you want more page likes or website traffic, you can set a budget, a target demographic and visual artwork to increase your opportunity to connect with the customers most likely to use your service.  If they don’t see you, how will they know you exist at all?

Start a dialogue.  Social media is one big conversation and everyone has something to say, or at least the opportunity.  The internet allows customers to say whatever comes to mind and everyone/everything is fair game.  By knowing what is being said about your business or brand (no matter if it’s negative or positive), you actually have the ability to use it for the betterment of your company.  Nowadays, customers like to know the good, the bad and the ugly.  It’s how you respond to these statements that increases the opinion of your brand in a customer’s mind.  Responding to negative comments/reviews on social media in a professional manner and actively working to solve an issue in the public eye can resonate louder than staying silent.  Own up to mistakes, offer a solution and actively seek answers from customers as to how you can improve.  If a customer says something nice, a simple thank you shows that you appreciate the time they took to say something and can even lead to a positive review.  From a consumer’s standpoint, knowing that their opinion matters can help gain respect for a brand.  For you, this means a potentially new customer base as well as strengthening the relationship with returning customers.

Stay relevant.  Why should a person care about what you have to offer?  Your goal is to share information about your product and services in a way that makes you memorable.  Customers don’t want to feel like you’re always selling them a product but rather an enjoyable experience.  Sharing pictures of what’s happening in the office or uplifting subject matter, like your favorite sports team winning or a recent meal shared with family and friends, gives you a more personal connection.  If you observe what customers are talking about you can strategize how you can be a strong force within the conversation.  There are free social media tools available to help you personalize trending keywords and topics that are relevant to your business and follow real-time developments within each social media platform.  You don’t have to participate in every conversation, but knowing what’s viewed as important can offer a lot of insight on the type of materials you could share that would be deemed pertinent to your customer base.  Sharing information that other industry competitors have shared, or at least being an active voice in a dialogue on their social media pages, is a good approach as well.  It allows their fans to see your comments and can lead to them further exploring what you offer just from seeing a like or a share on your competitor’s social media page.

Figuring out how to effectively market your business within this social media jungle can be daunting, but the good thing is there is a solution!  If you’re interested in starting your journey to increasing your business’ visibility, contact us today.  Be sure to connect with us, McCauley Marketing Services, on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.