Social Media, Good or Bad?

Is social media for businesses a good or bad thing?

Over the last few years social media has given small businesses the opportunity to have an online presence for their brand, something without a website would have previously been impossible to do.

For larger established organisations it broadens their market audience and increases their customer base.

So you would think social media can only be a good thing right? We shall discuss whether this is so starting with the pros and cons of social media.

Pros

• It enables small companies and brands to build a growing audience organically
• You can use it for free - no need for big advertising costs
• The way content is viewed and dispersed, makes them an ideal tool for newcomers hoping to break through.

Cons

• There is so much content out there! How do you actually grab the attention of your target market? 
  
• You can be a very small fish in a very big pond!
• If you don't actively manage your social media presence, you may not see any real benefits.

How do you make social media work for you

• Create separate profiles for your website/business and promote the site both on your personal and your professional accounts. Don’t use the same tone of voice and attitude on both, though. It’s important to distinguish the two from each other.
• Understand which social networks can be beneficial for you – should you be active on Snapchat or is your audience more into LinkedIn? Once you decide which platforms are right for you, develop a sense of the mood and vocabulary that are prevalent there. Otherwise, you might seem out of place and out of touch with your audience.
• Facebook is the one network that encompasses almost all industries and audiences. When you create your Facebook page you want to aim for a strong start that will give you momentum.
• Get involved in social communities that are relevant to your field and follow the profiles of people who share your interests, but do so not with the intention of spamming but to create real interactions.

Why use social media

Turn followers into promoters, you can promote your business on social media by getting people to do it for you! not only does it save you time and effort it also gives you visibility in groups you may have otherwise not thought about.

How to do this

The way to turn followers into ambassadors is simple; keep them satisfied. If they are happy with what you give them they are more likely to shout about it; share their experience with friends, families and acquaintances; all of whom are potential clients of yours.

So the answer to the question at the start of this email is....

Only if you make it work for you.

If you would like to have a chat about social media and whether you should use it for your business, then please get in touch kat@e64.com