Why use social media?

GlobalWebIndex’s social report found that 98% of digital consumers use social media and four in ten of them have used social media to research new brands and products.

With so many people regularly engaging with social media, it’s a great way to reach your audience and spread the word about your company’s products and services. But often B2B companies aren’t sure of the benefits of social media or what kind of return they can expect from their social accounts.

Here are five benefits of social media your company could harness:

Quick and free publishing

Social media accounts are a quick and free way to publish content that can be found by your customers, employees and prospects. Your social accounts are a great place to promote news about your company, post pictures of your people, products and services and voice opinions about what excites you in your industry.

You can opt for paid advertising on social channels like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, but you don’t need to; a well-used hashtag, funny gif or a share from an influencer can boost engagement and get your message in front of more people, without having to pay extra.

Reach more people

40% of social media users log in to their accounts to stay up to date with news and current events. Add to this that 29% of social media users log in to research products and 23% use social media to network for work and many of the people on social networks are actively looking to engage with companies for products and industry news.

This makes social media a great place to promote your company’s products and services. Your social accounts can increase the number of people discovering your offering for the first time and drive more traffic to your website.

To reach the right people you should think about which social media platforms your audience are most likely to use and which platforms they’re most likely to engage with your content on. It’s also important to remember that you need to have content to share – so having a plan for regular updates, whether they’re pictures, relevant industry articles or your own news and views will help you post consistently and create the best return for your business.

Build your brand

Your social media accounts are a great place to show off the human face of your company. You can give a taste of your company’s culture and personality, which is especially important if you provide a service and work closely with your customers. It’s also a great place for new recruits to get a feel for your business.

Credibility

Four in ten people use social media to find new brands and products; it’s also common to check a company’s social media activity to get a sense of the company and how credible they are.

Your social media presence says something about the kind of company you are. Being well organised and active online gives an impression of the size and professionalism of your business. By sharing and engaging with thought leadership and industry news you’ll show you’re active and engaged in your industry, making you appear more credible and authoritative to potential customers.

Learn and engage

Your social media presence isn’t just about broadcasting your message.

You can use social media accounts to follow your competitors, industry leaders and your target audience. This is a useful way to see what relevant people and companies are doing, stay up to date with current news and events and keep on top of what’s important so you’re aware of any emerging trends.

Paying attention to who other people follow and engage with can also help you understand what’s important to your customers and how your competitors are approaching the marketplace. This can help you position your offering in the best way for your audience.

Your company’s social media accounts are a valuable resource. You can use them to reach more of your audience, show off your company and keep up to date with your customers and competitors.

While your social media accounts can increase brand awareness and engagement with your business, it can be time consuming to post regular, good quality content to all your social feeds.

If you’d like help managing your company’s social media accounts, give us a call on 0117 907 9930. 

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