A social media strategy is more than just having a presence on platforms used by millions of people daily, it’s using those channels appropriately to convert traffic to clients. Managing an effective social media channel takes a lot of work; your channels must seamlessly convey your brand, you must be visible in a sea of competition, and you must also convey credibility that is tangible to the target audience. Once these are established, then it is time to upload videos and pictures, engage with your clients, and answer their questions. The latter are the easiest parts of social media management, although surprisingly, that is what many businesses believe it takes to build a strong social media presence. Social media can increase conversions, but to fully understand the impact it can make, we’ve listed just some ways social media is important for your business.
- Strong Social Media Presence Increases the Likelihood of a Purchase
- Client Testimonials on Social Media are more Trustworthy
- Social media Engagement Builds Rapport with Clients
- People Are More Likely To Check Out Products That Friends Recommend
- Build Relationships with Bloggers and Social Media Influencers
- Think About Creating a Brand Advocate Program or a Referrals Program
Strong Social Media Presence Increases the Likelihood of a Purchase
Strong social media presence is comprised of several elements; optimized content, authenticity and trust, relevant and current information, an understanding of customer service, a good reputation, no less than 4-star reviews or testimonials, and a targeted expansion strategy. When your audience uses social media, your services are always available and based on your expansion strategy, you can turn these followers to customers in time. Remember, just because a client has not purchased one of your products instantly, doesn’t mean that he or she will not be interested in these products for the future. Since the vast majority of individuals check their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Pinterest and other social media avenues every day, a social media channel that contains relevant information in addition to adding posts that are only there to sell will build a larger social media following and will have your audience engaged
Client Testimonials on Social Media are more Trustworthy
The importance of client testimonials nowadays cannot be denied. The world of smart technology now allows you to read the reviews of other people about companies, and this allows potential clients to make purchasing decisions.
Unfortunately, testimonials and reviews can be purchased or fabricated completely onto a website. Having social media reviews on your channels from real people allows others to see that there are people just like them engaging with you and that they are truly happy with your product or service. This will increase your level of trustworthiness and the website’s credibility.
Social media Engagement Builds Rapport with Clients
The game-changer that is available on social media platforms is the ability for clients to engage directly with the company. If the client has questions, is unhappy about a particular aspect of your product, or wants to thank the company, it is visible to all. When clients are responded to politely, respectfully, and in an effort to resolve their issues, they will be appreciative and will make this known. This also serves a dual-purpose; as other clients who read these exchanges will see that your business is proactive and that the client is important. When you engage with your clients through social media, and especially if this interaction is a positive one, it establishes a rapport between your company and your clients which makes them feel valued. Even if they had a negative experience, your communication can transform a negative review or comment on your social media channel into a positive one
People Are More Likely To Check Out Products That Friends Recommend
This also applies to social media channels. Once one client is happy with a product or service and shares this positive experience with his or her personal circle, others will pay attention. This is because this share is coming from an individual they know and have on their friend or contact list, and not a paid advertiser or promoter. If your business sells products to mothers for example, one particular product can be shared in a social media group for moms, and if it meets a specific pain point and solves it, you will generate sales merely through word of mouth and social sharing. Never underestimate the power that people have on their social circles in terms of their purchase choices
Build Relationships with Bloggers and Social Media Influencers
Bloggers are social influencers, and many these individuals do this for a living and are targeted to a specific niche. Blogs continue to be a strong source of information for many people, and established bloggers have reach that can astound you; thousands of people can visit their sites daily. If your product or service can be advertised by a blogger, you should definitely consider hiring one to promote your product or service. Bloggers are usually trusted because their business model is usually made for repeat visits and they are targeted to a specific audience. They build lasting relationships with this audience and may even ask to test out your product before they recommend it to their readers. You can look for established and reputable bloggers that can help you based on your niche, and work with them in order to promote your products. Bloggers do charge a fee to do this, and this fee depends on the popularity and reach of the blogger.
Think About Creating a Brand Advocate Program or a Referrals Program
A Social media brand advocate program or referrals program is an excellent way to increase your chances of getting more clients. Using this method, pre-existing clients are chosen to market your brand, and they receive commissions and maybe even free products or monetary incentives based on the number of people that they bring in. This can also work as a referral system, where if a person has referred to buy another client, they can receive a discount or a voucher for a future product.
Social media can be a tremendous asset to your business and if used appropriately, can yield great results. Apply a sound social media strategy to your business by handling professional social media managers such as our team at Slide Sigma. We can help you revamp your strategy and generate new campaigns that can make all the difference
Hamza Shatela is an online business developer and business management graduate with ten years of experience in the digital marketing field. As the founder of Slide Sigma, he has worked with a series of professionals from the medical, financial, nonprofit, and entertainment industries.
