The impact social media can have on a business is undeniable. These sites have the potential to reach thousands of individuals, whether they’re current employees, consumers or potential customers. What a company posts on its profile can affect the way it is perceived by the public, so maintaining an updated, informational and interesting page is essential for the business’ online success. Social networks are ripe with marketing opportunities for businesses, from allowing corporations to advertise brands to providing opportunities for them to promote community events. Because they have such an expansive reach, social media sites are ideal for increasing company sales. Here are some of the many ways organizations can achieve this:
Endorsements are essential
Social networks virtually connect people from across the globe, meaning that consumers now have the ability to directly communicate with companies. Whether customers are speaking through Twitter or posting a comment on Facebook, they wield a great amount of power. While businesses can post as many updates and informational links as their hearts desire, the word of the individual will always outweigh an entity’s message. Consumers connect with the personal. They are more likely to positively respond to an endorsement from a person as opposed to a claim from a company.
One way to boost company sales is through endorsements, whether they’re from employees or current consumers. Prominently displaying positive comments from people is a great way to show credibility and entice reactions from potential buyers. Additionally, Michael Idinopulos, the chief marketing officer at PeopleLinx, told Business News Daily that employees should be pushing for their company’s brand on their own personal profiles.
“People don’t buy from brands; they buy from people they know and trust,” Idinopulos said. “When a customer or prospect Googles the people they meet from a company, [personal] social profiles will come up first … You can use that to your advantage by encouraging employees to post content that will represent your company well and drive traffic to your site.”
Use advertisements to your advantage
A little advertising can go a long way, especially when implemented on more popular sites like Facebook and Twitter. These two social media forums boast some of the highest visitor numbers, meaning that they’re ripe with advertisement potential. Most of these sites profit from company advertisements, so they take special care in placing promotions in prominent areas of users’ pages. For example, Small Business Trends reported that Facebook ads not only provide companies an ideal way to promote their brands, but they also allow corporations to customize their ad options. Organizations can decide upon their target demographic, and Facebook will display the ad on profiles of those individuals.
Twitter is another great way for advertisers to boost sales. Because Twitter is constantly updating, users typically read tweets without discretion, especially because they’re very short. Companies that have purchased advertisements are featured as “sponsored” posts on the feed. Because of the ease with which they blend into a normal Twitter feed, consumers are not aware they’re being advertised to until after they’ve already seen the post.
Offer promotions wisely
Entrepreneur Magazine recommended that companies monitor the content posted on profile pages. While distributing promotional products is a great way for corporations to attract new consumers, the source explained that coupons, discounts and deals should only comprise of 20 percent of the overall profile. Before they can distribute perks to their consumer base, businesses must first establish a strong social media presence by providing updates, industry trends and articles pertaining to their product offerings. However, using networking sites to distribute links about corporate promotional giveaways or event giveaways is a great way to garner shares, attention and wide reach.