The True Value of Social Media for Business

Here’s something we hear all the time: “We don’t see the value of social media.”

And we understand that. When it comes to running daily business operations, it can be hard to see how a few Facebook posts can impact your bottom line. But just like you probably use a variety of traditional marketing methods, like phone or direct mail, to reach different market segments, you can (and should) use social media just as effectively.

We want to change your perception of what social media is and what it can do for your business. We’ll show you how social can really provide both short- and long-term benefits for your company. Let’s talk about the true value of social for business.

Does Social Media Matter for Business?

Let’s get this sorted—yes, social media does matter for all businesses. Every brand, no matter how big or small, known or unknown, can benefit from a social presence. Want a few reasons why? No problem. Social media….

… is a proven off-page SEO factor. More on that below.

…works beautifully with other digital marketing efforts, like email and PPC, for better-performing campaigns.

…puts your brand and business messages directly in front of your target audience.

…creates a two-way communication street that will help build brand loyalty and showcase your customer service skills.

…allows you to sow the seed for increased brand authority and influence.

Let us paint the picture for you.

The Strategy: Social SEO

To benefit from social media marketing, your business must be using it strategically. This is where you leverage social SEO for your search engine visibility.

Search Engine Visibility

You want your brand to be found online, right? Well, social media is a crucial step in the process of increasing your website visibility. That’s because social media is a highly effective off-page SEO factor. To help you understand what an off-page SEO factor is, let’s start with what it’s not: on-page SEO.

What is On Page SEO?

On-page website optimization is the stuff that lives within your website. This includes efforts like planning the keywords you’d like your web pages to rank for, structuring those pages accordingly, optimizing titles and tags, and creating relevant website content and copy.

What is Social SEO?

Social SEO is a method of using your business’s social media pages to improve your search engine rankings. Search engine algorithms use a variety of social signals (like audience followership, post shares and reviews) to return relevant search results. So, when you optimize your brand’s social pages to strengthen your brand’s social signals, you’re more likely to improve your search engine visibility.

Your Target Market

A part of social SEO is narrowing in on your target market so your messages reach the right people. Luckily, most social media platforms make that easy for you. Through social media targeting, you’ll be able to:

• Narrow in on niche interest groups, geographic locations and job titles that are relevant to your industry.
• Communicate with the right audience and find out what content works for them.
• Better nurture your leads by hitting them at different stages of the buying cycle.

Connect the Dots

It’s important to note that social media for business shouldn’t just focus on pushing brand message—don’t just talk about your company on your social pages.

In fact, promotional posts should only account for 20-30% of your social postings. The rest needs to be used to resonate with your audience and create trust. That being said, when planning your social media content, remember to:

End Goals

All in all, with the right social strategy, your business will start to experience the true value of social media while enjoying:

• Better-quality integrated marketing campaigns
• More clicks to your website
• Improved search results
• Healthier brand authority

Good luck! And remember–if you get stuck, you can always contact us.