Why does social media matter for small business?

Social media is still one of the most underutilized and misunderstood marketing avenues for entrepreneurs. In Ontario, 67% of the province’s 14.2 million people have a social media account, making us the most connected province in Canada. However, less than 40% of businesses know how to effectively leverage their online presence. 

Many simply avoid using social media because they don’t understand the value that it can play in their overall marketing strategy. But for a small business, not using social media is a huge mistake. 

So why is social media so important for your business?

Get to know your audience personally

Every social media network provides you with real time analytics that track post performance and audience demographics. You may have an idea of your target demographic in your head, but you may find different subsections of them on different platforms. 

For example, say you’re a gym owner with a target audience that consists of mostly 25-40 year olds. Because of the specific analytics on each social media network, you may find that your Facebook audience is mostly male while your Instagram is comprised of mostly females. If you’re not tailoring your content to these very different audiences on each network, you’re missing out on opportunities to engage more people in your community. 

Along with the ability to dig deeper into your audience demographics, you have the ability to target very specific groups of people. Want to tap into the community further? Target a specific location using paid social media advertisement. 

Brand awareness and a stellar reputation

Traditionally, businesses would try to increase their brand awareness by being present in their potential customer’s everyday life. Whether this was through flyer, billboards, radio jingles, the more often their name was heard, the more potential customers they were reaching everyday. 

However, as we roll further into the 21st century the average consumer is becoming more and more adverse to advertising. They’re actively throwing away their newspapers and turning to Twitter for their daily news. They’re not listening to the radio anymore, turning to Spotify and Apple Music. However, businesses are still able to influence customer choices through the power of social media. 

A well-built and authentic social media presence will allow you to stay top-of-mind and appear in front of potential customers, without overwhelming them with advertisements. Not to mention, appearing authentic in a space where they are actively engaging is a great way to humanize your brand and develop trust with a potential customer before actively engaging them in a sale. 

Drives more traffic to your website.

The website is often the most significant part of the lead capture funnel. This is where you can inform people about your product and services, but also convince them to opt-in to your mailing lists or give you a call. More traffic to your website will lead to an increase in sales (as long as your website is functional and up-to-date). 

Reach out to your customers directly. 

Social media is an opportunity for you as a brand to get on a more personal level with your customers. They have the ability to ask you questions and provide feedback directly, and your business has the opportunity to respond back. Social media gives you the ability to gain real-time commentary from your audience and address any concerns as they come up. 

Social media is an affordable way to watch your digital marketing presence grow and reach your customers on a more personal level. Have any questions? Contact us for a full analysis of your complete digital marketing footprint and get a personalized plan, just for your goals.