In a time when nearly everyone is on Facebook, it seems odd to see a lot of businesses fall short of capitalizing off the opportunity Facebook and other social media platforms offer. If you have questions about how to get started, why social media matters to your business, or how to manage it efficiently, you’ve come to the right place! Here are a few commonly asked questions we hear quite often from our community.
Q: Why do I need social media?
A: Two short answers: (1) because that’s where your customers are, and (2) because that’s where your competitors are.
- 68% of American adults are on Facebook, three-quarters of whom access it daily. The exact nature of social media use varies substantially by demographic, but even then the average American uses around three different social platforms.
- 32% of small businesses actively invest in social media marketing, and most brands already have at least a token presence on social platforms. This is true across all industries and segments.
Q: Doesn’t word of mouth count anymore?
A: On the contrary; it’s actually more important than ever! The main difference is that the key channels for word of mouth are now online reviews and social media. 67% of consumers say reviews and comments on social media influence their buying behavior. More reason to get in on the action!
Q: What kinds of benefits can social media offer my business?
A: To name a few: increased brand awareness, increased credibility and brand authority, increased traffic to your website, higher search rankings, higher conversion rates, improved customer insights, improved customer retention and richer customer experiences.
Did we say a few? We meant a lot.
Q: Won’t it eat up time and money better off spent elsewhere?
A: No. Social media is a high-ROI-potential marketing activity that can bring in a lot of traffic at a fraction of the cost. 66% of marketers report increased lead generation when they spend at least six hours per week on social media. It is an excellent use of your time and money.
Q: Which social media platforms should I use?
A: Facebook is almost a no-brainer by virtue of sheer popularity. One out of every six minutes online is spent on Facebook, going up to one in every five minutes for mobile users. Other popular options for small businesses are Twitter, LinkedIn, Houzz, Instagram, and Nextdoor.
To learn more, check out our webinar, ‘4 Ways Home Services Contractors Can’ Successfully Combine Social Media and Sales Strategy’.
Get Started
Surefire Local can assist you in your next steps toward crafting a successful social media strategy and how it can compliment your overall digital marketing and sales strategy. We’ve built a powerful platform that can help simplify and centralize your marketing efforts, so you can see and strengthen all your online activities in one place. Schedule a free demo of the Surefire Local Marketing Cloud by calling 888-804-8685 or sending an email to marketing@surefirelocal.com.