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Using Social Media Effectively

The internet has caused a drastic change in the way businesses market themselves and allow potential customers to find them. Small business owners are now accepting that it is no longer an option to not have an online presence. Many owners, however, feel lost the minute they begin developing their online marketing platform. One of the easiest ways businesses can get started promoting themselves online is through social media marketing. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Youtube are great places to get started marketing your business.

 

Is Social Media Marketing Effective?

There is no easy answer to the question, as numerous entrepreneurs argue over the effectiveness of social marketing. There is, however, no doubt that there is a vast amount of untapped potential in these sites because of the number of people that use them on a daily basis. The customers are already lined up and are ready to be marketed to - it's a matter of getting their attention. The one main benefit of social marketing, especially for online beginners, is that it is easy to set up a presence online. There is no need to develop your own website or rely on traffic solely through SEO. It is as simple as filling out information about your business, adding your logo and submitting your profile. Of course this alone is not going to attract many customers. There is much more work that has to be put into an effective small business social media strategy, but by quickly connecting with friends, family and current customers, it can quickly grow your business's online presence. The availability of being able to share promotions and content with customers alone makes social media effective.

 

Plans For An Effects Small Business Social Media Strategy

Social media marketing can be effective, but plans need to be put into place to ensure it's effectiveness. Obviously, the first step is creating a page to market your business. Your page needs to tell the customer who you are and what your purpose is. Make sure your contact information is in bold print and in plain view for the customer to see. By providing contact information, it ensures the customer that you are a real business. If you already already have an online site, make sure to provide a link to it on your page. Start off by contacting people that you already know and encourage them to promote your business through their contacts. Begin to post information or videos about your business for customers to get to know you better. One of the most beneficial parts of an effective social media strategy is to not just promote the products or services that you will be making money off of. Give the customers practical and useful advise for free. By giving people a reason to visit your page, it ensures repetitive exposure. People are also generally more willing to do business with someone that they feel is there to provide a real service, instead of just taking their money. The last step is developing a paid adverting campaign. Ensure that your market targets the types of customers most likely to be interested in your business.

 

So is social media marketing effective? Definitely. But don't abandon all of the traditional methods of marketing. It is best to form a marketing plan that incorporates both options.

 

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