In a matter of just a few years, social media has become an essential component of smart marketing. Why? Because that’s where the customers are. If Facebook were a country, it would be the third most populated country on the planet behind only China and India.
According to Social Media Examiner’s 2017 Marketing Industry Report, 92 percent of marketers said social media is important for their business. These marketers use social media to:
- Enhance awareness. The sheer number of people on social media allows you to get more exposure and spread awareness of your products and services to a larger audience.
- Generate leads and sales. When your social media marketing messages are shared, that free word-of-mouth advertising grows exponentially across multiple networks. This allows you to rapidly reach thousands of customers. It’s real person testimonials on steroids.
- Personalize and build brands. Social media is, by definition, social and interactive. It’s a conversation. It gives you an opportunity to connect with your customers and sell in a friendly, personal manner.
- Nurture customer loyalty. When you interact with and listen to your customers, the feedback can help you improve your business and cement long-term loyalties.
- Improve search rankings. Using several social media platforms spreads your brand messaging across many channels forming multiple, cross-connected links. These links help boost search engine results, particularly on Google.
- Grow business partnerships. Social media is a great way to communicate and share with other businesses and potential partners.
Going Mobile, Skewing Older
Online activity, including social media use, is going mobile in a big way. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2017, about 77 percent of U.S. adults owned a smartphone which increased from 35 percent in 2011. This has made smart phones one of the most quickly adopted technologies in history. Also, in 2018, about one-in-ten American adults are using only their smartphone to access the internet. This is showing a greater reliance on mobile technology for accessing all things on the web.
Another recent survey also found that senior citizen’s adoption of smartphones has nearly quadrupled in the last five years. Although, seniors aged 65 to 69 are about four times as likely to own a smartphone compared to those who are 80 and older.
