Social media has grown exponentially since its inception. For some users, it’s a place where they can keep up with their friends. For others, they use it as their diary to the world. For businesses, specifically businesses that are utilizing public relations to promote their brand, social media serves as a way to grow their business and gain brand awareness.
“EVERYONE’S DOING IT”
As of January 2022, there are 4.62 billion users on various social media platforms, which is well over half of the global population. In addition to the massive size of your potential audience, there are many other reasons why a business may want to bake a social media strategy into its digital marketing and public relations efforts.
1. It’s FREE.
Creating and managing social media pages brings no added cost from the platforms themselves — unless your business decides to create paid social media advertisements. It does take time to organically build up your following from scratch, but the followers who engage with your content can become some of your most loyal customers and even brand advocates in some instances.
2. Grow brand recognition while building brand loyalty.
By utilizing social media, you can grow your brand recognition and brand loyalty. In today’s digital age, 55% of consumers learn about new brands on social. In other words, if your brand isn’t utilizing social media, you could be missing out on potential customers.
3. Control the narrative around your brand.
Fifty-four percent of social media users use social media platforms to research products. This means that if you aren’t currently utilizing social media when potential customers search for your brand, they can read anything that anyone has said about your brand or products. While you could trust that your loyal customers are pushing positive messages, it makes much more sense for you to do your part to control the narrative online.
4. Improved customer service.
Not only is social media effective for pushing specific messages and campaigns, but it can also improve the customer service experience. Displeased consumers or those who are spreading negative messages about your brand can have their complaints addressed directly by your brand’s social media accounts. In these scenarios, you can attempt to right any wrongs while pushing a positive, helpful message.
ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
Now that you’ve learned the benefits of using social media for your brand, it’s time to dive into the social media strategy that is best for your brand. To assess which strategy is best, research your brand and ask yourself the most important questions.1. What is your overall goal for utilizing social media marketing?
2. Who is your brand’s target audience on social media?
3. What social media platforms should your brand utilize?
4. What will your tone sound like?
5. How will you differentiate yourself from your competitors on social media?There are myriad reasons why you should build a social media strategy into your PR plan. From the opportunity to capitalize on a massive captive audience to the ability to control the message, social media can help you provide value, engage audiences and gain trust. If you need help creating a social media strategy that bolsters your business, contact our team today!
