Should Social Media Be a Priority for Growing Your Business?

You’ve probably heard it before: your business HAS to have an active social media presence to succeed in today’s marketplace. But for every time you’ve heard that, you may have also thought “I don’t have time to take it on.”Just one look at the myriad social media channels may also be enough to turn some business owners away – how to choose whether to have boards on Pinterest, an active Facebook wall or a Twitter feed?There’s a lot to digest. But as social media becomes more and more integrated in both our personal and professional lives, it is becoming a tool that businesses should actively take advantage of.Here are four reasons social media should be a priority in growing your business:

• It’s a (mostly) free way to market your business. It costs nothing to set up accounts on sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, and they offer a great way to reach new clients, strengthen relationships and demonstrate expertise in your industry. You can pay to promote your posts, but it’s not necessary. According to this infographic by Go-Gulf.com, social media produces almost double the marketing leads as trade shows, direct mail, and telemarketing.

• Does your company create great content like whitepapers or blog posts? That’s great – but without showcasing that content, it’s a wasted effort. Networks like Google+ give your company instant exposure to searchers and help you broadcast your know-how.

• Social media allows you to build and improve customer relations. Many online consumers follow brands or companies on social media sites. In turn, those consumers influence their network. Online consumers also give feedback, which can be a great way for a business to demonstrate its responsiveness and dedication to customers. Using social channels to address customer service can also mean huge cost savings when compared to customer service over phone lines. The key to doing it right, however, is having a knowledgeable team or individual handling customer feedback.

• Social media gives your business a way to develop a distinct voice in your industry that clients and consumers will remember. It’s important to not just talk about your company all the time – share industry news and ask questions. That conversation will pay off as you develop a presence, and your social media followers will broadcast your brand.