Why Having A Social Presence Is So Important For the Growth of Your Business

This may seem basic, but it bears repeating:  having a strong online presence is vital in today’s digital age. Now more than ever, consumers turn to the internet to scope out the competition and make informed decisions. So whether you’re a small startup or an already established company, creating and developing your online identity is the key to staying relevant. Let’s dive deeper and talk about why expanding your online reach is so crucial to the success and longevity of your business.

1. Increased visibility

Imagine you wake up one morning to discover you have a leaky pipe or a clogged drain. “No problem,” you may be saying, “I’ll just call a plumber to come check it out.” You go online and search local plumbers, only to be bombarded with tens or even hundreds of options. How do you make your decision? Who’s the best person for the job? Naturally, you look for reviews from previous clients or perhaps you’re looking for a way to schedule an appointment at the click of a button. While the plumber who only has their name listed on a directory may actually be the best person for the job, the reality is, they may be missing out on potential clients. People want to do business with individuals and companies that they can identify with and trust. By establishing an online presence, whether that be through social media marketing campaigns, or simply having a website that lists services and testimonials, you’re sending an invitation to all of those potential clients who may not have heard about you otherwise.

2. building credibility and trust

We’ve talked about the impact of being visible online, but more important than that is the quality of your work, and ensuring that potential clients can trust you. In a sea of endless choices, building and maintaining your reputation is more important than ever. If you’re looking to hire a freelancer, the first things you’re probably looking for are positive reviews and a sample portfolio of their work. We need to apply that same line of thinking to your business. You want your customers to know right off the bat what to expect from you.

• Sleek, professional design: Your website and social media pages need to be optimized not only for search engines, but for your customers as well. Every entrepreneur has their own unique voice and identity, so this is your chance to showcase your personality and draw people in. 

• Engaging with your customers: Recently, I was searching for local restaurants and stumbled upon their Google reviews. One in particular really stood out to me. The owner took the time to respond to each and every review, crafting unique responses, and even offering to make amends for dissatisfied customers. Now, I know what you may be thinking, “How in the world do I have time to respond to every review when I have a business to run?” That’s the advantage of hiring a digital marketing agency to oversee every aspect of your online marketing, but we’ll save that for another time. The main takeaway here is, don’t ignore Google reviews or Yelp. These platforms can be instrumental in reaching and retaining customers.

3. targeted marketing opportunities

One of the biggest advantages of cultivating your online presence is the ability to selectively market to target demographics. A big mistake I often see is companies advertising blindly. You want to ensure that your product or service is being seen by the people who are most likely to purchase. We’ll break this down further in another post, but here are the basics.

• Identifying your target audience:  If you’re in the business of selling exercise equipment, for instance, you’ll likely have more success marketing in the online communities that the people most interested in these products gather. Get to know your potential clients on a personal level by sharing your experiences and the ways in which your product or service can benefit them.

• Researching your audience: Before running a targeted ad campaign, you must understand your audience’s preferences, needs, as well as known pain points within the industry. Using tools to analyze market data is absolutely necessary in order to create a successful ad campaign.

• Selecting the right advertising platform: Most online communities and platforms have a demographic majority. We’re all unique and we congregate in the areas that are best suited to our interests and needs. Selecting the proper platform through market research and data analytics can be the difference maker when running a targeted ad campaign.

4. measurable results

So you’ve established your online brand, done your market research, and experimented with different advertising platforms to narrow down your target audience. Now what? Well, now we analyze the data and make all of the necessary changes. 

• Analytics Tools: Tools such as Google Analytics to monitor website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates are invaluable. This data helps us understand what marketing strategies are working and what needs to be tweaked.

• Social Media Insights: Every platform provides analytics to monitor engagement metrics such as likes, shares, and comments. We use this data to refine your content strategy in order to capture a larger share of the market.

• A/B Testing: Believe it or not, the key to a successful marketing campaign is often trial and error. We experiment with different marketing strategies, such as email subject lines or graphic designs, to see what resonates best with your target audience.

5. staying competitive

Any business owner will tell you that staying competitive is the key to success. Building your brand online allows you to not only gauge the market and see what works best for you, but it also gives you insight as to what your competitors are doing. Responding to consumer feedback, adapting your ad campaigns, or perhaps diversifying into new product lines or delivery methods are just some of the ways to remain competitive in an ever changing digital world.

In today’s fast-paced, digital landscape, an online presence is a vital component of business growth. It enhances visibility, builds credibility, fosters customer engagement, and most importantly, provides insights on ways to improve and stay competitive. You want your customers to be able to identify with you on a personal level, allowing you to tap into areas of the market you may not have even been aware of! 

If you haven’t already, it’s time to invest in your online brand and watch your business grow to unimaginable heights!