Did you know that in 2020, over 3 billion people are using social media worldwide? As these numbers continue to grow, it should come as no surprise that harnessing social media has the potential to dramatically grow your business.

In fact, according to Sherpa Marketing, more people follow brands or businesses than their favourite celebrities. On Instagram alone, 80% of users follow at least one brand.

If you’re not using social media for your business, you’re missing out on one of the most cost-effective ways to engage with your customer base. We’ll show you why a strong social media presence is a must-have for business in 2020.

1. Increase website traffic

One of the primary aims of any marketing strategy should be to get your online audience clicking through to your website. This is where social media shines!

By publishing quality content or fantastic offers to social media pages – which truly compels the viewer to want to find out more – you can encourage more users to visit your site from Facebook or Instagram than almost any other tool.

Connecting your Facebook Business Manager to a Facebook Pixel embedded on your website can provide invaluable tracking data – not just for traffic, but also for conversions – that reinforces your social media investment.

Did you know? ??

When lots of people share your content or click-through to your website, Google actually receives positive search signals. A strong social media presence actually boosts your organic search rankings and improves SEO!

2. Increase brand awareness and trust

Have you ever not purchased from a smaller brand or engaged the services of a local company simply because they didn’t have many followers on social media? It happens!

Social media is an incredibly important trust builder and one of the most cost-efficient digital marketing methods that can increase brand visibility to very targeted consumer bases.

Incentivising your offline customers to follow your socials is a good place to start. A healthy follower count signals to someone researching your brand that you’re likely to have real, happy customers and that you are an ongoing and successful business. You’d be surprised how much these concerns affect decision making of savvy online customers.

3. Generate leads

Have you ever thought about running a photo competition on your social media pages to boost your following? It could be a great idea!

Social media gives your business a unique opportunity to stand out in a prospective customer’s feed – whether your content is paid or organic. You can even take it a step further and promote in popular groups and communities.

A post that’s as simple as ‘Tag your friends for a chance to win’ typically generates far more engagement and interest than other posts, and can help collect leads that would otherwise never have come across your page.

Did you know? ??

According to Hootsuite, using Facebook and Instagram as lead generation tools are 32% more cost-efficient than Google!

4. Join forces with influencers

If you need to connect with Millennials or Gen Z, consider engaging with popular social media personalities to endorse or sponsor your products on their social media platforms – particularly Instagram. For younger consumers, influencers are trend-setters and one of their first touchpoints for discovering new products.

Look at HiSmile – the Australian brand that exploded onto the teeth-whitening market, rising from a shy $20K investment to over $40M in sales in just three years.

They’ve worked with over 2,000 micro-influencers and partnered with major celebrities, like Kylie Jenner and Conor McGregor – leveraging their popularity to land over 2 million followers across the brand’s social media platforms.

5. Improve customer service

Modern consumers expect to be able to engage with brands on social media – just like they would one of their friends. Facebook and Instagram act as primary service points for customers. Not fulfilling that expectation can damage your customer service experience.

Research has shown that nearly half of all consumers take to social media to address their concerns about a brand or ask questions.

Whether it’s listening to feedback or answering questions, social media provides the perfect opportunity to let customers know you’re there for them when they need you most. It also negates the need for those awkward phone calls and lengthy emails that younger customers tend to loathe.

6. It’s FREE! (well, mostly…)

There are few things in life that are free – except organic social media!

One of the biggest advantages of social media marketing is that you can set up a business page and start posting without any financial investment. None of the major platforms require signup fees; the only thing you need is a few hours to get your brand activity going.

If you’re looking to broaden your reach, consider paid advertising. While organic reach is a great way to engage with your existing following, paid social media strategies can help target a desired audience that may not be following you yet, as well as build customer journeys and get those prospective customers to your site to make a purchase.

Did you know???

Over 91% of marketers claim that just a few hours spent on social marketing a week increases a brand’s exposure to consumers.

Social media is one of the best tools to drive SEO, actualise ROI, and build brand loyalty.

At Bear Marketing, we aim to establish not only meaningful connections for your brand but meaningful content ideas that showcase your culture through coordinated social media efforts.

Aside from engaging customers and attracting new business, marketing on social media platforms also elevates employer desirability and increases brand influence among employees.

If you’re looking to kickstart your social media marketing, give us a call on 1300 762 327.