Social media users no longer discriminate by age, in 2016 more people are utilizing social media now than ever. Today, customers are purposefully engaging with brands, interacting on different platforms to give feedback to other brand users and even the brand or company itself. Without social media pages, brands are missing a valuable way to relate and communicate with customers. Below are 4 key reasons companies and brands should have social media pages:
- Build Relationships
Social media, unlike many other forms of advertising, is a two-way street. This means that customers and businesses have the ability to interact with one another directly. Not only does this allow for problems to be handled directly and promptly, but it also allows users to follow in real-time brands and companies they are interested in. It is valuable to know your audience and to be on the platforms they prefer. A millennial might use Instagram to inquire about a recent post.
In the same scenario, a high response time by companies develops brand loyalty and personalizes businesses allowing them to communicate one-on-one with customers. - Social media can drive traffic and expand sales.
Over 2 billion people, which is nearly 2/3 of the world's population, are active on social media pages. Social media is the only channel that reaches as large of a group in real time and at the consumer's convenience. Social media pages increase brand awareness by staying top of mind to potential customers. Companies segment their target audience in new ways based on the follower's demographics. Staying relevant and active drives traffic to their pages. A visible increase in traffic eventually increases conversion rates as well. -
Social media is mutually beneficial.
Once loyalty is established customers can become brand and company advocates through posts, and sharing pages. A company offers a discount or reward to a customer that shares a post for example. Resulting in a satisfied customer and more company exposure which translates to more customers. The increase in exposure is essentially cost-free to the company besides a small discount or reward. Positive interactions like these maintain loyalty and generate priceless word-of-mouth advocacy. - Social media makes companies more accessible.
Interactions between users and companies are made easier by being able to access social media pages anywhere and from any device. Companies and customers can communicate with one another despite location and time of day for relatively low costs to the company. In the case of an emergency, a mass broadcast can be made for crisis management- to either protect the customers or the company.
