Social networking sites are expanding rapidly all over the world and brands that don’t use them in some form could find that they fall behind their rivals. Social media not only provides a way for companies to engage with their customer base, companies can also use the medium to attract new customers and reach new audiences.
To put ‘social’ into context, in the UK alone there are over 33 million members of Facebook, over ten million on Twitter and one in every six internet page views in the UK is to a Facebook page. In total 60 per cent of all adult internet users have their own social networking profile and one in three of those visit their page more than once a day.
Don’t Just Focus on One or Two Sites
If you’re going to be joining the social media revolution then be sure that you don’t just spend time on one or two of the most popular sites. You might think you’re doing a good job by joining Facebook and Twitter, but in reality you are missing out on plenty of other options as well. Pinterest, for example, allows you to post and tag images for others to view. A retailer could, for example, ‘pin’ images of new products to the site.
Engage with People and Other Brands
Being on social media is one thing, using it in the correct way is something completely different. You can’t just have a presence on it and think you can use at as a way to talk to your friends. The moniker of social media isn’t something that you should take literally. At all times you need to be engaging with your followers, bearing in mind your aim is to raise brand awareness, reach new customers and ultimately generate more sales.
Choose who you follow wisely and try to be as helpful as possible to your followers. You could use social media to highlight new products and services. Many companies use social media to run competitions or promote sales incentives such as exclusive coupon codes or gifts with purchase. For example, you could offer promotional products such as t-shirts emblazoned with your brand to the first 100 people that ‘Like’ you on Facebook.
Show your Expertise
Social media is not just a place in which to engage with potential customers and other brands, it also gives you a chance to flex your muscles and show how much of an expert you are in your chosen field. Post comments on recent industry developments or changes in legislation. Invite technical questions from your followers that can be shared. As your reputation grows, other sites will link to your social media profiles, as well as your main website, which in turn should generate more visitors and help search engine optimisation.
