Look around any crowded room and you’re likely to see a fair few people browsing social media. Although invented only a decade or so ago, social media has taken over a vast amount of our daily lives. In some circles, if you’re not on Facebook etc. you’ll probably feel like you’re missing out on something – but the same can’t be said for businesses. Many business owners are missing out on the many benefits that social media brings. So, we’re going to run through some of the reasons your business should be on it.

Reach a lot more customers

By having a social media presence, a business can tap into some of the millions of users that are online every single day. Last year, Facebook alone had 2.2 million monthly active users and Instagram reported 800 million. Through Twitter, Facebook, and so forth, a business can drive users to a website, spread the word about an online promotion, and build its online branding.

Build a brand reputation

This brings us on to another potential benefit of social media: it can really ramp up your branding. By creating the right content for each platform, you can project an image of your business online that will make your customers want to know more. Some businesses have been built largely off the back of a strong social media presence. Gymshark is a good example of this. To take it a step further, you can also enlist the help of influencers – people who have built loyal social media followings, who can be paid to promote your business or products through their own accounts.

Social media goes beyond marketing

Social media’s uses also extend beyond your marketing department. Sales teams can use it to discover potential prospects and to work out what makes those prospects tick. Likewise, you can monitor Twitter, Facebook and other platforms to work out how happy your customers are with your business and also competitors’ services. By doing this, you can react quickly to any customer complaints or issues, or spot an opportunity to take advantage of a competitor’s mistake.

Key takeaways

Being on social media is as important to your business’ online presence as having a website. There’s a great opportunity to extend your business beyond your usual customer base by engaging with an active and global audience.

As the platforms continue to grow, gaining more features and users, the case for social media becomes stronger and stronger – even for businesses who primarily operate offline. It’s a marketing channel that you simply cannot ignore. After all, if you’re not on it, then your competitors will be.

Social media is something that requires very little initial investment, and it can provide some great returns in a relatively short time. It’s time to get social, can you really afford not to?