WHAT IS THE POINT IN SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING?

20 October 2022

It can be disheartening when you feel like your efforts with social media marketing (SMM) aren’t being rewarded with sales or new business leads. But the trick is to realise that SMM is a long game. Being consistent, interacting with customers, garnering internet attention and building a relatable brand can convert to customers in the long run.

In this blog, we’ll take a deep dive into what the real point of SMM is and why you should invest your time in it.

Benefit 1 - Draw attention to your brand

In a world where so much of our lives has been digitised, social media (SM) is often the best place to attract interest and attention to you, your business, your product, or your service. Use this to your advantage. Organic SMM is free and has the potential of reaching a much wider audience than traditional marketing methods.

Having visuals that stand out, Instagram Reels or TikToks that are entertaining, or actionable posts on Facebook is going to encourage potential customers to see your brand and - with some repeat exposure - remember it. 

Remember that 41% of Generation Z consumers are impulse buyers. If they see something they like on your page, they’re quite likely to respond.

Your aim on SM shouldn’t be to go viral. Consistency is a better goal. It’s hard to predict which post will be the one that pops, but there’s always a chance with consistent posting that one will. More exposure will reward you with more reach, and this is invaluable and something really unique to the world of SMM.

In terms of the long term benefits, good SM engagement can have a positive impact on your SEO. One study found that if your content is shared on SM platforms, it’s a good indication to search engines that your content is useful, which, in turn, increases traffic and visibility.

Benefit 2 - Reach the search bars of Gen Z

When the Musson Marketing team are looking for a restaurant to try in a new city, or a new outfit for a festival, we’re way more likely to search for inspiration on TikTok than on Google. And we’re not alone. 40% of Gen Z use SM as a search engine.

Not having brand accounts on SM could be losing you potential exposure to new customers. For some industries like hospitality or beauty having high quality content on your socials is quickly becoming more valuable than a stand alone website.

Remember the days of the Yellow Pages? If your business wasn’t listed there, you’d have been missing out on a whole host of customers who exclusively used that resource to find their next builder or bakery. SM is the Yellow Pages’ younger brother.

Benefit 3 - Build your brand

SM is a great place to express your brand’s image and voice. Although your content may need to differ across different platforms, your voice and vision can remain consistent. Using the same colours and catchphrases on both TikTok and LinkedIn, for example, means that consumers will recognise your content wherever they see it. If they like it and if they trust you, this could eventually lead to those sought after sales.

Many big brands have learned to do this exceptionally well. Take the likes of Ryanair on TikTok, Aldi on Twitter, and Slack on LinkedIn. They’re all using SM to share their voice and values with their respective consumers in a fun and engaging way.

Smaller businesses can use SM in an even more personal way. It’s a place you can be authentic and build a community with your consumers. One study found that 53% of consumers shop local because they like a personalised experience. Use this to your advantage in your SMM efforts.

Benefit 4 - Interact with customers

SM gives you a chance to interact with your customers on a more personal and intimate level. A TikTok of your staff packing someone’s order in the warehouse or an Instagram question box asking for ideas for your new range of jumpers allows your followers to gain an insight into the nature of your business. That’s much more relatable than an email or billboard.

On a more technical level, SM is a place customers might approach you with queries. Not having a presence there closes that avenue of communication. If this is a new customer, they may simply slide into the DMs of your competitor instead. Humans are lazy, and DMs are easy.

User generated content is invaluable, too. Someone buying your product may tag you in a video of them using it. A simple share to your Instagram story subconsciously spreads the message to your followers that people are buying your stuff, and they like it.

We could list a multitude of other benefits of having a SM presence for your business, but the overall ‘point’ quite simply boils down to getting your product or service seen. Organic SMM is free. Mix together a solid strategy with a scoop of consistency, and you’re opening yourself up to new customers, online attention, a chance to lead conversations, and, ultimately, another stream of income.