To get the most out of social media, a business has to truly connect to people with genuine content. This means posting about real things that are actually relevant to the company. Once this is established, the social channels will begin to drive traffic to the business’s website. Search engine crawlers will see the referral traffic and will, in turn, rank the website higher.

When a customer has a problem, they want help IMMEDIATELY. These days, most people don’t want to call a phone number or wait for an email reply — they want a resolution FAST and they want it to be EASY. Social media is a direct connection to a business and allows you to interact with customers in real time. An engaged social media marketing presence keeps customers happy AND helps you maintain a positive public image.

There is no better focus group than the people who choose to follow your business on social media. Once you have built a strong social media presence, by posting authentic content, you can leverage those relationships. Businesses can use social media to learn more about what their customers want, to test out new ideas, and to gain other insights.

When a customer service issue is handled well publicly on social media, the end result is so much more than one happy customer. That positive interaction is now on social media where it can be seen, commented on, and shared with others. There is no better way to build brand loyalty than by demonstrating that you CARE about your customers. An good social media presence should give followers help, useful information, and be entertaining — and not ask for anything in return.

Staying in front of potential customers is the primary goal of marketing — both digital and traditional. When someone wants a product or service that you offer, you want your brand to be the first thing that they think of. A good social media marketing strategy should include well-placed call to actions that capture leads and drive sales.