Social Media Matters in Marketing For More Reasons Than You Think

Author: Jordan French / Source: Entrepreneur

If you know anything about modern day marketing, then you know social media is critical. This is the first time in history that people have been instantly connected all over the world, able to communicate in a moment over different mediums.

If you have an audience, social media can be a career. Influencers create more impressions than media outlets and get better response rates on branded programming. Eighty-four percent of millennials have bought something directly from a social influencer. People trust influencer endorsements more than they trust celebrity endorsements.

Of course, social media has had major implications for business. Most businesses either have social media accounts they manage or manage social media accounts for other businesses. There have been entire careers and fields created thanks to the rise of social media, and there will be many more as social media continues to grow and evolve.

Even if you have a social media account specifically for marketing, you may not be getting the most out of it. Sure, sharing blog posts, posting pictures and providing updates are important, but the best social media accounts go beyond that. Your social media pages need to be more than just advertisements. The point of the entire page is to be social, and if you aren’t engaging properly with your audience, then you could be missing out on potential sales and clients.

The importance of social media.

“If you’re a job-seeker, social media is your resume,” said Jeff Barrett, the Shorty award winner whose agency manages social media for Cision and HootSuite. “A piece of paper can only tell a hiring manager what you think you can do,” he added. “Your social media, especially in certain industries, can show them. Show always wins over tell.”

It’s important to realize that social media is an extension of you and your business. Too many social media accounts are uninvolving and sterile. As an example, think about a business you know that has a Facebook page. This could be a business you enjoy, a friend’s business or even your own. Look at your posts, the total number of likes and the comments below each post. The comments are especially important since it represents someone wanting to engage with your business. But is your business responding?

Pages and accounts that don’t take the time to respond to visitors are losing potential clients and not getting the most out of their social media presence. The more your business engages with people, the…

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