When you run your own business, you have plenty to worry about. Between generating new clients, responding to emails, phone calls and meetings… sometimes you feel like you don’t have enough time to do your actual job. Now on top of that, you are expected to manage a social media presence as well? Posting on social media is easy to move to the bottom of your to-do list.
While social media can seem more like a nuisance than a necessity, there are a few important reasons to stay active. Here are 4 reasons why a strong social media presence is necessary for your business.
1. Get found and noticed online
More often than not, if a potential client is browsing your website, they will likely click on your Facebook or Instagram profile to learn more about you and your business. In fact, 54% of consumers say they use social media when making a purchasing decision.
Social media also plays an integral piece in your SEO (search engine optimization), aka, posting on social media will help more potential clients find you online. Set a goal to post weekly across your platforms and keep all your business info relevant. You also should be posting weekly on your Google My Business profile using Google Posts as well as optimizing your listing. A well built GMB listing is maybe the most overlooked part of an online presence and can help you stand out from your competition.
Remember, if your competitors are active on social media, your prospective clients might already know more about them than they do about you. Keep up with the competition by keeping up with social media.
2. Convert more prospective customers
Evidence shows that businesses with active social media profiles are more likely to get new clients than those that don’t. Potential customers use your social media profiles to make some initial assumptions about your business. They’ll use it to assess how your working relationship might be, what kind of business culture you promote and how involved you are with your clients. Your social media presence is a glimpse into the personality of your business, so don’t be afraid to show off your corgi and her cute cowboy hat. Potential customers love to see that you are real and relatable.
Your social media profiles can also act as a second website and work as an additional tool for conversion. Use them to showcase more information about your services, build up and share positive reviews, and provide industry updates. Any relevant business info on your website should also be included on your social media profiles.
3. Easily communicate with customers
Google, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn all provide great direct messaging platforms. Using direct messages is an easy and efficient way to communicate with your clients. Many people these days prefer texting or messaging rather than talking on the phone. If you are consistently posting on social media, customers will feel confident that they can send you a direct message and you’ll respond promptly. This will lead to more conversations with customers and open the door to better retention and upselling opportunities.
4. Increase revenue
Last, but most important, your social media profiles can help you generate more revenue. Boosting posts to local users that fit your client profile can lead interested customers straight to your business. Running Facebook, Google, or LinkedIn ads are all great ways to generate new leads, and research shows that businesses with active social media profiles will have better results than those that don’t.
Increasing revenue through an organic social media strategy is a little less easy to track but just as important. Potential customers can find you through shared posts, hashtags or searches. Your profiles should always be ready with fresh and relevant content for when people come scrolling.
Staying active on social media should be a standard practice for every business owner who wants to grow their business. If you are finding that you are swamped with other tasks and responsibilities, schedule a call with one of our marketing specialists. We would love to show you how we can run your social media for you and build your online presence!