Technological advancements have dramatically changed the way people shop and interact with businesses today. What’s more, technology has made it easier than ever to shop from your phone or computer and converse with businesses about your needs in real time – you can even order takeout through an app! With all of this new technology, there’s a lot that organizations need to do to stay aware of their clients, however in the event that you’re not using social media, you could be losing out on an enormous amount of business opportunities.
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What is Social Media?
The rise of social media, especially Facebook, has revolutionized how people connect online. In fact, more than 18% of Americans use Facebook on a daily basis. As a technology consulting services company that provides web marketing, social media services can be an incredibly effective tool to reach new customers and expand your brand awareness. Understanding how each platform works is key; by doing so you’ll be able to ensure your business thrives in today’s internet-driven environment.
Advantages of social media for business marketing
While technology consulting services should be a part of any business-marketing strategy, social media has proven to be an especially important marketing channel. For example, employees need technology to get their jobs done — that’s why you need a solid technology-consulting service — but they don’t always pay much attention to your other channels. Fortunately, they do often take note of what they see on social media.
While it’s hard to know exactly how many times a particular piece of content will be shared, if something goes viral, it might not only earn tons of impressions but also thousands or even millions of shares with its message! That kind of reach can significantly boost brand awareness and sales for your business. In addition, social media is one of the best ways to build relationships with customers.
By following them on Twitter or Facebook, you’ll gain insight into their interests and concerns that can help guide future product development efforts (and possibly increase sales). And finally, as more people use smartphones to access information about businesses in general and yours in particular, having an active presence on mobile is increasingly important too!
They won’t find you in your local area
The more you can rank your site in organic results, meaning coming up in web searches, the more likely you are to be found by a customer looking for your product or service. The ranking factor is particularly important because most people tend to research online before buying anything. Organic search gives you an advantage when it comes to how people locate products online. If someone wants a new pair of jeans from a specific brand, they’re probably going to Google that brand name first. Therefore, if your business appears above or at least on par with your competitors in organic rankings when customers look up what they want, they will most likely click on one of your links and end up visiting your website rather than one of their competitors’. It’s all about getting to page 1 of Google as quickly as possible so that you’re top-of-mind when potential customers are ready to buy. Don’t forget that local listings also have SEO value! Even though many searchers don’t explicitly include local in their queries, local businesses still appear high in organic search results. For example, if someone searches for Pizza, then near me, many local businesses will appear near the top of Google’s rankings even though those searchers didn’t use explicit geographic language.
That said, make sure you’re optimizing your site for mobile users! According to Pew Research Center, half of Americans now own smartphones and close to two-thirds (65%) own some kind of tablet device like an iPad or Kindle Fire.
Types of social media
Although many businesses have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and other popular social platforms—it’s easy to overlook forums. If you’re struggling to find customers or attract new ones, it’s likely due to an ineffective online presence.
It’s significant to diversify your social media portfolio with relevant accounts on all popular networks. From niche forums that attract enthusiastic community members to industry-specific profiles with thousands of followers (such as our dedicated Food Industry forum), creating a strategy is essential if you want your business to succeed in today’s tech-based marketplace. Technology consulting services are just one of many types of business marketing activities available here at Global B2B Forum.
Different ways of using social media marketing
No matter what your business is, there are multiple ways to use social media marketing. You can launch a Facebook page, send out newsletters, or even create a Google+ profile. The key is determining how best to reach your audience and adjusting accordingly. For example, if you sell coupons for local businesses that people can print out and bring into shops, you might find success by advertising on social-media platforms frequented by locals—Pinterest or Facebook groups—instead of trying to reach tourists who visit an online travel site like TripAdvisor. But if most of your customers are young moms looking for coupons for local stores via mobile apps that highlight deals, then perhaps focusing on apps would be best.
How much does it cost?
Technology consulting services can cost anywhere from $75 to several hundred dollars an hour, but many companies offer lower rates if you work with them in large volume. On average, professional businesses charge somewhere between $40 and $100 per hour.
Most services are billed on a monthly basis, but make sure you understand exactly what your service provider will provide before signing a contract. Before hiring a technology consultant, speak to at least two or three other people in your industry who’ve used that service.
You’ll get better results if you know what questions to ask beforehand. If you’re having trouble finding recommendations, ask your colleagues about their experiences with different providers. You might also try asking members who have recently started new jobs; they maybe good resources as well.
What are the key advantages?
There are a multitude of benefits to be had when you use social media for business marketing. For starters, social media makes it incredibly easy to engage with your customers. You’ll be able to learn what they want, how they want it and when they want it.
Plus, since so many people are on various forms of social media all day long, there’s a good chance that if someone sees your business profile or post, he or she will interact with it. All that adds up to better exposure for your brand–and more sales. If that sounds like a solid plan to you, then start using social media in your next business-marketing campaign!
How do I get started?
Some businesses have found that social media is an important part of their marketing strategy, but getting started can be confusing. Luckily, there are some easy ways to get started with social media. In fact, if you’re interested in getting started but don’t know where to begin, there are a lot of great tools online that will help guide you through setting up your accounts and start building a following.
Start small when it comes to creating content – focus on sharing information that’s relevant to your target audience before trying anything too flashy or salesy. This will make people more likely to interact with you and spread word of your business! Make sure you update your social media profiles regularly, so people know what’s going on with your company.
A consistent posting schedule will also show potential customers that you’re active and engaged, which could lead them to follow you as well. The best way to learn how to use social media effectively is by doing it! Don’t be afraid to experiment with different platforms and types of posts until you find something that works for your brand.
Conclusion
Businesses can benefit from many types of media, but social media offers something that no other platform does. Because Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and others are built around interaction between users—companies included—they offer a certain level of authenticity that traditional forms of marketing don’t have.
You can’t just buy an ad on TV or Google to appear at or near the top of search results instead you have to compete on an even playing field with other businesses that are actively trying to win your customers. When done correctly, social media can help your business become more personal than any ad campaign ever could.