13 Reasons Your Small Business Needs To Use Social Media [Infographic]

85% Increase In Brand Exposure Using Social Media

If your competitors aren’t using Social Media fully, they will be soon. Done correctly, a Social Media strategy is going to bring more customers through your door more often and turn them in to life long fans of your business.

Just look at some of the statistics, 85% of businesses have actually noted an increase in brand exposure and recognition to their target audience. 70% of consumers are more likely to use a local business if they can find information about it on Social Media sites.

Be warned though, get it wrong and you can damage your brand as much as boost it – 77% of people won’t give you a second chance if your information is incorrect or outdated. Of course, there’s the SEO penalties as well that poor social media and digital strategies invoke. Here’s the infographic below.

Not a fan of infographics? See below for the key points.

13 Reasons Your Small Business Needs To Use Social Media

Here’s the text from the infographic:

Mobile – 80% of internet users own a smartphone and the number of mobile-only internet users now exceeds desktop only. Social Media is at the forefront of mobile and is only increasing.

Boost Your Local Customers – 7 out of 10 consumers are more likely to use a local business if they have information available on Social Media sites. But get it right, 77% of them won’t give you a second chance if your information is outdated or incorrect.

Compete With The Big Boys – With a low cost to entry, small businesses can compete with larger corporations using Social Media, increasing traffic, boosting natural links and accelerating overall growth.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – With every search engine update social results are being further integrated. Social Media strategies are now becoming increasingly important in overall SEO. Social Media networks themselves are also becoming search engines. You can’t afford to neglect them.

ROI – Even with a limited marketing budget you can continue to build your relationships with your current customer base and engage with your broader target audience providing significant returns on your investment.

Brand Recognition – Consistent application of a Social Media Strategy across social media platforms increases brand recognition and enhances the brand’s reputation.

Opportunity Cost – If you’re not doing this, someone else is. They’ll be engaging with your customers, building relationships with them and converting your customers across to their brand. Get there first.

Driving Online Traffic – Social Media networks can drive significant amounts of traffic to your website and landing pages and these visitors spend some of the most time on your site when they get there.

Reputation Management – By being active on Social Media your audience will grow with you and trust your skills. As they interact, the social proof will increase boosting your reputation and enhancing your expertise.

Reduced Marketing Costs – 46% of businesses that use Social Media were able to reduce their overall marketing expenses.

Trust – 95% of Millenials, 87% of those aged 30 – 44 and 70% of those aged 45 – 60 expect you to be on Social Media. This is about trust, transparency and accountability as much as anything else.

Build Relationships – Social interaction builds on the relationships that you create with your target audience. This does far more than convert them into customers and can transform them into life-long advocates of your brand.

Increase In Exposure To Your Target Audience – 85% of businesses noted an increase in exposure of their brand to their target audience due to Social Media.