While the business value of social media is widely accepted, there is much less consensus on what social media is meant to achieve.

The objectives of social media marketing shouldn’t be just amassing likes, fans, shares and retweets. These things are means to an end, not the ultimate goal. Instead of treating social media like an online popularity contest, effective companies use it for a wide range of objectives.

Raise brand awareness

One of the principal advantages of using social media for business is raising brand awareness. If people are unacquainted with a company or a website, they can’t go there. Due to the fact social networks are utilized by over two-thirds of the country, and because of the way content spreads virally, social media is a powerful channel to market a brand to possible customers.

Google juice

Every company wants to raise traffic and user engagement, but that can’t happen if your prospects can’t find you. Social media enables you to command a first-page search result in a natural way, which further increases revenue. Furthermore, a strong presence in search results supported by social media helps to offset any negativity about your company or industry that might pop up in search results.

Direct communication

President Donald Trump has famously said he uses Twitter to speak directly to voters. For companies, social media enables them to speak directly to their clients and customers about new product launches, changing company policies and other events – all in real time.

Social media also provides an opportunity to build a narrative around your company aimed at capturing your customers’ curiosity. Each Facebook post and tweet can share business values, developments, personalities and much more.

Using social media to speak to the public can backfire if used too much. “Spamming” followers with a fire hose of updates every day can foster apathy or even animosity, especially if the material being posted isn’t relevant or related to your brand.

Leads to sales

Social media is profoundly useful in converting leads to sales. Some social platforms like Pinterest and YouTube permit direct purchases, quickly shuttling leads down the purchasing funnel. Even Instagram has a call-to-action button that allows followers to connect to an online store or website.

Social media has been evolving rapidly, and it will soon drive sales in an even bigger way as millennials get older and grow their purchasing power. If you are not there to translate leads into sales, your competition might be there to take your place.

Marketing channels

Each social media platform has distinctive marketing channels. Even though you don’t necessarily have to be on social media to use these channels, having a presence on the platform will multiply the return on investment. Global brands connect their marketing strategies with their social profiles to boost likes and followers, which can quickly become customers.

Action Group Staffing is a full-service staffing agency in Tulsa, OK. We stay on top of the latest business trends to better serve our clients. Please contact us today to find out how we can help your organization.