By Jessica Findley
It seems to me that as social media portals grow more and more popular, their uses become more and more broad. What do I mean by that? Well,
many sites began as opportunities to connect with the people you KNOW, key word.. KNOW. But they have slowly matured into means of meeting new people in a virtual community where you can put your best foot forward.
I mean, if we’re being totally honest, I am sure there are plenty of people out there who have used Facebook to land a date, or two… maybe three. To each his own. But, this isn’t about online dating; it’s about online promotion. What can social media do for you? If people can use their usernames and pages to promote themselves, then surely it works the same way for businesses.
However, some businesses aren’t sure where to start when considering marketing through social media. I think first and foremost, it is important to understand what advantages you can gain through the use of Internet.
It gives your business a voice and enables you to communicate with customers, potential clients, peers and the general public. It’s less formal, so it allows you to personalize your marketing in a conversational manner, which most people are more receptive to. The ways in which you can utilize social media are endless. Through it, you can create a personality behind your product or organization and build network relationships that you may not have been able to before.
Social media is also low-cost. Depending on which outlets you decide to use, it may even be completely free, except for the Internet-savvy employee or consultant you hire to take care of your online marketing, but it’s worth it.
The only downside, in some people’s eyes, is the time it takes to make social media effective. Often times, businesses want to set up Twitter accounts, make a Facebook page, spice up their websites, post a few times and call it good. But, that’s not how it works. Effective social media takes dedication, and the more you do it, the easier it gets.
However, for those companies that may not have the time to dedicate to the necessary upkeep, there are businesses (like us!) that will take care of it for you.
So, if the kid in 6th period gym class can get 72 likes on his latest mobile upload flexing in the mirror, just imagine what kind of attention your business can get when you put your game face on.