You may have noticed the importance of social media within many popular search results. For nearly any search at least one social media site will likely be on the first page.
It goes beyond that however, because not only are the social media sites showing up way at the top, they are also helping other things show up way at the top… Like your business website maybe.
Here are some reasons to consider putting serious effort into your social media presence.
- It is a cost-effective way to brand yourself so you stand out among the competition, and it is becoming the overall most effective way even when cost isn’t factored in.
- It is a simple way to get word out about a new product or service, special deals etc.
- It an inexpensive and easy way to get genuine feedback.
- It makes building links simple, from relevant blogs to landing pages, articles and videos.
These benefits have a tendency to be overstated however. The thing is people go on social media to be social with living breathing humans, not to review your product or even to find a product really. It’s like if you were having a party at your home right? Then the vacuum cleaner salesman barged in and started trying to be part of the group while selling you this vacuum. Maybe the vacuum is great. It doesn’t make it any less annoying.
So take advantage of all of the benefits of social media listed here. But don’t be the uninvited salesman at the party trying to sell vacuum cleaners, basically.
How do you do that? There are two things a business can do.
1. If you have a nearly unlimited budget like Doritos or Pepsi, you can hold contests and give away giant prizes. That works well, especially when something uniquely social or charitable is tied in. Things like a contest to make the next commercial and the winner gets all kinds of cash and the commercial shows up on television or the internet somewhere. Or, a contest to see which artist can most improve their neighborhood—that’s charitable and interesting. Both of those things really happened. You might ask, “Yeah that’s cool, but how’s that help business?” These companies know something many smaller businesses do not seem to, and that is the importance of image. Does a mural on a random wall in a random neighborhood make you want to drink Pepsi when Pepsi isn’t even part of the mural? No. But people remember the story because it is interesting, so when they are in the soda isle deciding between 20 different brands, Pepsi is remembered first. Which means more people will buy Pepsi. Sales improve and the contest makes them tons of money. Unfortunately most businesses cannot afford to do something like that.
2. The second thing any business can do is offer discounts via social media, and anyone can do that. This gives an interested customer actual incentive to go to your site, follow, up vote etc. Those actions influence traffic to your site, that gives you opportunity to make an impression (which is all a television commercial can really do yet businesses pay thousands for it) while at the same time influencing your searchability since the popularity of a site is a factor in site placement. That will lead to more customers eventually. And the goal is more customers right? It’s not more people liking you or wanting to hang out.