As of writing this blog, June 2019,  there are more than three billion people using social media across the world.

Many new business owners don't see the value of how social media can help their business or that social media is worth their time. Social media can often slip down the to-do list for some business owners that might not know all the benefits to being active on social media for their brand.

Sherpa Marketing found that 80% of the 1 billion people using Instagram follow at least one business on Instagram. That's a lot of businesses being discovered just on Instagram alone. 

If you aren't using social media marketing for your business, you're missing out on huge exposure, an inexpensive and effective way to reach almost half of the world population.
So other than a huge proportion of the world using social media, what benefits does it have for your business?

Here are a few reason why social media is important for your business:

Generate leads - gone are the days that you have to cold call people to drum up business, instead you can target potential customers with adverts on social media.

Increase website traffic - posts, blog and ads are an effective way to get more traffic back to your website. Also participating in Twitter chats not only increasing your brands visibility but another significant way to drive traffic back to your website. Want to learn more about Twitter Chats? Read my blog on them here

Increase brand awareness - social media is an inexpensive way or free way to market your business to your ideal client. Facebook reported that 60% of Instagram users say that they discover new brands and products on the platform. 

Boost sales - Social media enables you to reach a wider audience without using a large amount of time

Promote content - You can share your blog posts on social media, tips, case studies etc for free on social media. Letting your audience know that you are the expert in your industry. 

Connect with clients - If you want customers and followers to be engaged, you have to be engaged yourself. Stay active on your social media accounts and respond to comments.

Learn more about your customers - ask your audience questions to learn more about what they would like to see from your business, what they like and dislike etc. 

Retargeting - Social media retargeting ads allow you to advertise to people who have already visited your website or landing page. You can use Facebook Pixel to retarget potential clients what they have viewed on your website, landing page or abandoned their shopping cart. 

Provide support- social media is a great way to support your clients. Whether it's customer support, or creating a Facebook Group. It's quick, easy and inexpensive. 

Save on advertising - traditional media like TV ads, radio ads or magazines are now becoming outdated. These types of advertising are also very expensive. With social media advertising you can choose your budget and really target who you want to advertise to.

If people don't know about your business, they can't become your customer!
Social media is a unique tool for reaching the perfect audience and easily interacting with customers around the world. There are so many people spending time every day on social media, so it's the best way to know you're reaching as many people as possible at any given time.

Will social media fall down your to-do list again? Or will it stay firmly at the top? I would love to know what your thoughts are by leaving a comment below.