We live in a world where consumers are participating and shaping the brand narrative of the businesses they deal with. A world where customers crave engagement for heightened user experience. A world where stories can be personalised in order to optimise the performance of marketing efforts. These elements can all be facilitated through social media.

The proof is in the pudding – if small businesses want to be successful, social media cannot be ignored.

Why? The simplest answer: trust.

Small businesses face many challenges, but one of the most significant of these is establishing trust with the right customers. Without it, the likelihood that your dream customer will engage in business deals with you is very low. In fact, according to the 2016 Small Business Technology Impact Study, up to 30% of people surveyed in the study indicated that they might choose not to do business with companies that have no social media presence.

And, this statistic doesn’t even reflect the plethora of opportunities that properly utilising social media would open your business to.

The TOP FOUR REASONS that social media needs to be an integral component of your business today:

1. Develop brand equity

In 2016, approximately three-quarters of customers will research a company online before making a decision to use their services or purchase their products. Customers are savvier than ever and are giving their money to the companies that they perceive as most trustworthy. Research shows that during the decision-making process, customers consult brands’ social media pages which paint a picture of your brand, indicate the level of engagement you receive from customers, and portrays how popular your company is in comparison to your competitors. Positive online reputation develops brand equity which ultimately converts into sales – a major component for driving the success of your business.

2. Drive traffic to your website

There are over 1.5 billion users on Facebook worldwide who log in once a day. With that many people online, there exists a vast opportunity to capture the right audience and direct their attention to where vital information on your goods and services are. Done correctly, you are essentially increasing the likelihood a customer will visit your website – an essential step in the process before a customer decides to purchase. Social media also provides a more personable method of connecting and selling your business to your customers, as you are able to cultivate trust due to the interactive nature of social media.

3. Increase your exposure on search engines 

Incorporating a social media strategy can also play a role in improving your exposure on search engines such as Google. By having social media profiles, a customer is more likely to come across your business when searching for brands or products and services in your industry. Developing a social presence may serve to improve your placement in search results as social media pages are crawled by the search engines.

4. Learn from your customers 

From a marketing perspective, there is no greater information source than direct conversations with customers. This is one of the most significant opportunities that social media presents – the ability to change the conversation from a one-way conversation (which doesn’t allow you to gauge the perception of the marketing effort for some time) to a two-way conversation. As a small business, you are able to directly interact with customers (sometimes allowing you to diffuse tense situations), which improves the target audience’s engagement. You are also able to listen to their needs, wants, and concerns – allowing you to constantly evolve your business model to best suit your audience. Essentially, by being personable and engaging on social media, you are adding a human element to your business, making it less forced and more natural to build a relationship with your customer. All of these efforts culminate to improving the trust between you and your customer – integral for achieving your business aspirations.

Don’t miss out on leads for your business!

Chronicle Republic is a boutique Sydney marketing consultancy for real estate and interiors professionals.

We help our clients tell their brand’s story through engaging and meaningful marketing that captures the attention of new and potential clients.

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