Hello there and a warm welcome back! You already know the drill however first, a gentle reminder to all first-time readers to take a moment to read previous articles to better understand the lap we are on today. Today’s topic seeks to discuss the role of social media in growing a business. It’s no secret that a lot of organizations have had to change the way they do things, adopting work from home policies, to stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic. This involved using different strategies to remain in contact with clients and one such efficient method is the use of social media. After all, we are living in a digital age with numerous applications at our disposal.

Social media eases the process of providing and receiving feedback. If your customers have concerns or problems with what your business offers, they can let you know in a timely manner. Moreover, social media gives customers a convenient and accessible way to express what they feel and gives companies a chance to respond. With such platforms, businesses are able to view complaints and assure their customers that their problems will be dealt with.

There are a number of advantages that come with using social media in your business some of which are, but not limited to:

• Improves communication and branding.
• Find Customers
• Affordability
• Social Environment
• Database management
• Increased online presence.

NB: “A significant amount of social media activity is carried out through mobile devices. Make sure that your social media strategy is compatible with mobile devices to guarantee a worthwhile user experience. Social media sites continue to gain popularity at a rapid rate, and it is important for small and growing businesses to use them to advertise and market what they offer.“

What is social media engagement?

Engagement is to develop a series of perpetual interaction with an individual or a particular group of individuals. In a business, it is called customer relationship. Therefore, social media management is all about how effectively a business can maintain communication with its customers. Most of the businesses post highly engaging content on social media which attract a fair number of people and make them participate in discussions, comments, and other activities. Social media managers also utilize content posted by their customers.

Social networking also offers many opportunities to businesses to expand brand awareness. Talking is a great way of gaining someone’s attention. It would be great if you are communicating with your customers and getting their feedbacks which, one can use to refine services and products.

It is understandable that most businesses do not have time to run a social media campaign, although it is not as expensive as other media vehicles. There are well? known IT companies and individuals which provide dependable social media engagement services. The main objective of these services is to engage a specific audience and make them trust your brand. Social media experts design promotional strategies and profiles. Furthermore, also present the right response to queries and feedbacks.

Does Social Media Engagement Really Work?

Adopted from Content Marketing

If you are having any doubts and believe in more old school methods of brand marketing and customer engagement, that is alright. However, do not deny yourself the opportunity to at least see if this will work for you, because it can and it will. Here are six things you can try out yourself to realize that social media is a wise business move.

1. Get Attention and Build Awareness

If people don’t know about your business, they cant become your customers. Social media boosts your visibility among potential customers, letting you reach a wide audience by using a large amount of time and effort. And it’s free to create a business profile on all the major social networks, so you have nothing to lose.

Ask yourself, what message do your customers want to see, how are they going to identify with your brand, and what will get them to click on your post or comment on it to garner a conversation? Define what you want to get out of social media to develop a social media strategy for brand awareness. Do you want new customers to discover your services? Do you hope to bring more local shoppers into your stores? By keeping your strategy specific, you can determine which social media channels are the best fit for your business.

2. Communicate Authority

Customers are increasingly discerning about which businesses they support. Before making a decision, they’ll do a quick search to browse your website and social media. Look for ways to demonstrate your expertise as a thought leader in your industry. Like writing pieces related to your expertise or expanding on your company’s mission. By showing what your business offers and values, you will establish confidence in potential customers.

3. Show Authenticity

Customers aren’t interested in businesses that publish dry, corporate-style social media posts.

Instead, let your brand shine through in everything you share on social media. What does your brand voice sound like? How does it represent who you are? While brands need to be polite and empathetic to their audiences, it is more important to find a voice and take a stand.

4. Encourage Engagement

Social media opens the conversation for instant interaction, relationship building, and customer loyalty. Social channels evolve, constantly releasing new features, and this rapidly changing environment can be intimidating for some business owners.

But remember you don’t have to do everything. Play with new ways to connect with your audience and give yourself permission to learn as you go.

5. Grow Affordably

Sponsored info on timelines, videos with CTAs, cross-channel retargeting and shoppable posts are the mainstay of social media.

Marketing costs add up, and not every business can afford huge campaigns. But you can get a lot of value for your pula with social media advertising. Your business, regardless of size or budget, has an opportunity to grow your audience and reach your objectives through ads on social platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

6. Provide Support

Social platforms have successfully broken-down barriers between companies and their customers. Now, instead of calling a customer service line, many people turn to Facebook or Twitter to solve problems or find information.

Develop your reputation as a responsive, caring brand by offering support through social channels:

• Create a system for tracking customer comments, questions, and complaints on social media.
• Respond as quickly as possible to questions and concerns.
• Listen to criticism and make customers feel heard.
• Know when to resolve public conversations in private messages.

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