Posted by Melissa Thompson

Businesses need to utilize all of the digital tools within their arsenal if they hope to reach their target audience. Thanks to the presence of social media, there are now more possibilities than ever before to build a solid customer base and to actively engage with prospective clients. When we consider the fact that an estimated 3.1 billion users are expected to access social media by 2021, it is clear to see that the sheer scope of this sector cannot be denied. What are three ways in which this virtual environment can take your current operations to the next level?

The Use of Social Influencers

Social influencers are considered to be authoritative and well-known online personalities who are followed by a massive number of users. Thus, they can promote products and services to a vast audience. They can also help to positively reinforce the perception of your online venture. It is estimated that up to 93 percent of successful marketers leverage the power of social media influencers. If you are hoping to imbue your products with more digital clout, this method can work wonders. 

Embracing the Organic Edge

One of the issues which countless online businesses face is the ability to find a means to embrace a personalized approach to their sales and marketing campaigns. After all, the Internet can sometimes represent a somewhat anonymous environment. Social media can effectively bridge this gap by fostering a more robust level of interpersonal communication between the buyer and the seller. Here are some examples:

• Immediately replying to feedback about a product or service.
• Rewarding loyal followers with discounts and similar promotions.
• Keeping your audience regularly updated.
• Embedding flash media content into your news feeds.

These are all considered to be organic approaches, as they are intended to resonate with human visitors as opposed to the algorithms found within search engines. It also needs to be mentioned that adopting a more proactive stance will enable your content to be updated frequently. This is viewed positively by firms such as Google and Bing. So, you will likewise be able to improve your rankings within a search engine results page (SERP) over time. 

The Ability to Proactively Appreciate an Ongoing Marketing Campaign

It is always better to ask, “How are we doing?” as opposed to, “How did we do?”. Unfortunately, this can be difficult when using more traditional techniques such as automated email marketing. Another advantage of social media is that you will be able to appreciate the “big picture” at any given time. In other words, slight adjustments can be made to an existing strategy if you do not appear to be reaching your target margins. This is also a great way to understand if your ongoing efforts have resulted in increased incremental sales. 

Let’s also mention that the online sales community tends to be defined by trends. If you can obtain real-time feedback, you can stay one step ahead of the curve. This will help to increase your overall ROI and, perhaps more importantly, illustrates to your clients that you appreciate how their needs may be changing. 

Some experts have even argued that social media will entirely outstrip traditional forms of online advertising in the not-so-distant future. While the verdict is still out in regards to this observation, it is an undeniable fact that this digital domain continues to grow and shape the opinions of buyers. It therefore makes sense that you take advantage of such a lucrative opportunity.