Social media is everywhere nowadays. In fact, it is estimated that nearly 3 billion people are using social media worldwide in 2013. While some may use social media to stay connected with friends, share funny photos, or pass some spare time, many are shopping through social media. This is where you, as a small business, can capitalize on social media’s large consumer base. Today, we are going to look at a few different ways that social media can help your small business grow and make more money.
Low Cost = Big Results
One of the biggest advantages for a small business when it comes to using social media is that you can achieve big results with little to no cost. For those businesses who have no big competitors or operate within a niche industry, you can get away with time being your only expense when it comes to social media marketing. If you are wanting to dabble in Facebook Advertising for greater sales/lead generation, you can start small and move your way up to find your ideal return on investment
Facebook Ads Allow For Better Targeting
The beauty of Facebook ads, when compared to Google Ads, is that you can easily target your potential customer base. Google Ads works off of bidding on keywords that consumers are searching for. So if a customer types in “red shoes” and you are targeting similar keywords, your ad may show up when they were only looking for an image. For Facebook ads, you can target your ads to show to a specific interest. You can even set up remarketing through the Facebook pixel to show customers items they looked at but didn't purchase.
Allows You To Connect With Your Customer Base
Social media is the best way to get in contact with your customer base. Traditionally, most businesses are only communicating with customers when they are in the funnel. When consumers are not in the funnel, you can connect with them by posting funny photos, providing informational articles, or even starting conversations on your social media accounts. This is a good way to keep your customer engaged with your brand, even when they aren't looking to purchase anything.
Can Easily Update Customers On Business Sales
Since it only takes a few seconds to post to social media and get a message out to thousands of people, it is a great way to keep your customers up to date with business news. Whether it is a new sale, temporary closures, or announcing a new product, social media is a great way to let everyone know. You can even set up trackable links through your social media channels to track which networks are bringing in the most consumers to your site.
Allows You To Build A Community
When interacting with people on social media, you can build a community of loyal followers. By developing your own community, you start to create loyal customers and brand ambassadors without having to spend a dime. If people are starting to interact with your brand more often, the chances that they will recommend you to their friends increases.
Facebook Groups Are Gold
Speaking of building a community, building or joining a Facebook group can help develop this community much quicker. There are groups for just about everything you can imagine, so no matter what your niche is, we guarantee you can find a group of enthusiasts for your industry. Joining these groups on a personal level can give you great insight to the market. If you are unable to find a group or you want to be more of an influencer brand, you can start your own group and control everything that happens within the group.
You Can Find Influencers
Some small businesses can benefit greatly from social media influencers. Social media influencers are users who have a large, loyal following that would be influenced by a product the user suggests. This can be relatively cheap for many companies as you can send an influencer a product for free in exchange for a post or video about the product. This can instantly get your product in front of the eyes of thousands of potential customers at a low cost.
Your Competitors Are Most Likely Already There
The last thing a small business wants to do is get left behind by their competition. If you aren’t already on social media, chances are, your competition is. While this could put you at a disadvantage, you can always use it to your advantage. Check out your competitors social media and see what they are doing/not doing to capitalize on what your industry needs from a brand on social media. This can quickly put you at the forefront of your industry.
It Is A Great Way To Get Real World Feedback
Social media is the best place to get feedback on your products, your competitors products, and ideas about products that you should carry. Simply searching hashtags on Instagram can tell you a lot about a company or product. You can even message people who have purchased your product to find out how they liked it.
It Is One Of The Best Lead Generation Tools
If you are looking to get leads, emails, or sign ups on your website, social media is the way to go. There are many different ways to promote offers that can have potential customers fill out forms or provide their email in exchange for offers or a sweepstake. This will allow you to remarket to them, send them email blasts, and help close more deals no matter what your industry is.
Conclusion
In conclusion, social media should be at the top of any small businesses’ marketing plan. It is low cost, can be low maintenance, and yields great results when done strategically. If you are unsure on where to start or want to get a proven gameplan for Facebook Ads to start making money as quickly as possible, contact Cedarsphere today to discuss our social media marketing plans.