The importance of a social media presence for small businesses

If you’re a small business – social media should never just be a ‘nice to have’.Yes, it takes time and effort to regularly plan and post, and sometimes the wins can seem like they are slow in coming. But there’s no doubt it is a crucial marketing tool that has the ability to be hugely beneficial for business. Still not sure? Let us explain why.  

‍It’s where your customers are

InJanuary 2019 there were nearly 3.5 million New Zealanders using some form of social media, that’s around 71% of the population! So it is almost guaranteed that a large number of your potential customers are spending a portion of their day (nearly two hours) on various social platforms. And if this is where they are, then why you wouldn’t you want to be there too?  

It’s free marketing!

Having social media pages allows you to essentially promote your business for free. It doesn’t cost to have an account and gain followers, and with some real creative posting, you can experience some great organic (free) marketing. It can take a bit of trial and error to get right, but once you do, it’s definitely worth investing time to achieve it.  

People expect to find you

In today’s connected world, most consumers actually expect businesses to be present somewhere on social media. Whether to learn more about what you do, stay up-to-date with new releases or just engage with your brand, there are many different reasons why people want to follow your social pages. So don’t let them down – be there!

Your competitors are there

Here’s the kicker – even if you aren’t on social media, your competitors probably are.Which means they could be reaching your potential customers before you’re able to capture them through other marketing and advertising avenues. Of course social is not about trying to compete against others in your marketplace, as you it’s always best to stay in your own lane, but just by simply not ‘being there', you’re missing out.  

Cost-effective marketing and advertising

If you want to use some of your marketing budget on social media, the good news is that it’s relatively low cost to do so. And it’s also really smart.

You can advertise your business for as little as $2 a day, and specifically target the audience you want to – whether it’s by location or other criteria.

Build trust and loyalty

Social media allows you to build and foster relationships with your customers, which is invaluable for creating brand loyalty. This helps with repeat business, referrals, cross selling, up selling – all kinds of selling! When you personalise your posts and regularly share things that either inform, educate or entertain your audience, you’re essentially making people think of your business as a friend. And we could certainly all use more friends right now.  

Sell more products from your online shop

Following on from the above point, you can also use Dynamic Ads which allow you to retarget people who visit your website and view items, but don’t make a purchase. In their Facebook feed they will see your ads with those same items, prompting them to return to the website to buy.

You can also integrate your catalogue into Facebook so when you showcase a particular product, people can click straight through to your website – meaning they don’t get lost trying to get there.

So there you have it! If that’s not enough to convince you about why your business needs to be on social media, then we don’t know what would.  

But if it is something you don’t feel you know how to do effectively, or you simply don’t have the time – that’s what we are here for. Get in touch, we’d be happy to help you out.

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