Don’t be Left Behind: Engage your Business in Social Media

Social Media is a powerful tool to enhance a business’ online strategy. Having an extended online relationship with your customers through social media will increase their involvement with your brand offline. Managers and owners that understand the importance of a strong online presence definitely develop a healthier communication with customers. This communication doesn’t stop there, it creates many more opportunities. It’s time to take control of the outcomes and tap into social media by enabling social tools on your business’ website and interacting with your users. If you are unsure, consider this:

·         “Your customers and rivals are figuring blogs out. Our advice: Catch up…or catch you later” – Business Week

·         “Social Media Will Change Your Business” – Business Week

·         “Facebook, has 200,000,000 – number of active users” – The Future Buzz

·         “Facebook, 100 – number of friends the average user has” – The Future Buzz

·         “10,432,575,000 – number of Tweets to date” - gigatweet

·         “Twitter tweets: 600 per second” – Search Engine Land

·         “133,000,000 – number of blogs indexed by Technorati since 2002″ – The Future Buzz

·         “346,000,000 – number of people globally who read blogs” ComScore

Everyone that works in the daily operations of any business is busy wearing many hats trying to thrive. There is always very limited time to accomplish the many tasks of the daily operation and you may think you don’t have the time to engage in social media.

There are innumerable reasons why social media is imperative for businesses. Here are five factors that are relevant for the inclusion of social media and the importance of social media adoption in a website development strategy.

1. Extended business relationship

If someone asks a question to a clerk in a store, the clerk most likely will give a prompt and adequate answer -as close as possible to a solution to that person’s needs. In social media it is similar. In most cases this interaction may involve people that are interested in a specific company, brand, product or service. They inquire about offers, or have questions or comments about goods and services. Social media let managers and owners jump into the conversation, and build relationships with new or existing customers.

2. Extended way of communication

Your communication can create, clarify, refer, lead. Due to the two way nature of social media, it creates a better understanding of what people are saying about your business. You can get a sense of what customers think and feel about your company. Should you encounter negative feedback, you have the ability to respond and the opportunity to turn that person into a happy customer.

3. Extended way of referrals

Whether or not you are active in the online presence of your business, social media is creating referrals. Sources like Yelp, Twitter, Facebook, and specialty blogs are becoming the easiest way people share their opinions with friends and strangers. Plus, these services offer solutions for business to engage in communication, helping you manage comments and opinions about your business.

4. Extended brand awareness

Social media offer you more control over your brand. People have a perception of your business, and this can depend strongly on what you say. A company can give insight about their business helping others understand why they should choose them over someone else. Likewise, when you introduce a new product, social media allow users to post experiences, how-to, and reviews making those people your brand evangelicals.

5. Extended way of sharing an opinion

Don’t let your brand be moved by the flow, interact, participate, share, discover…! There are many social sites where people are sharing their opinions about your business. There is always room for everyone in the social media field. Participate and engage with those interested in your industry.

In a recent conversation with Sadao Nelson, a wine consultant for Restaurants in San Francisco and Manager of COCO500 Restaurant, he mentioned that social media has not taken a big deal of his time. Responding to Yelp, Twitter, and Facebook comments takes only a few dedicated daily minutes and the job’s done! Sadao also happens to be the former manager of The Corner Restaurant. In the early days he created an online profile on social media sites for The Corner and it has turned excellent results on Google and Yahoo.

We hope you see the advantages social media can bring to your business and start using them. If you need help, contact us at info (at) jd-anderson (dot) com and be sure to read the next post, Social Media: Getting Started