5 good reasons why your Social Media is important

Since the coming of Google and search engines we have always had it drummed in to us that “Content is KIng!” and yes that has always been true and probably will continue to be the case BUT and it`s a BIG BUT…what if no one can see that content?image of a woman whispering in to a mans ear

This is where Social Media comes in to your marketing strategy and below are my 5 good reasons why Social Media is important.

Many businesses are still sceptical about the whole Social Media idealogy and some are wary of it but in my mind it is now becoming one of the most influential advances in recent times, basically it has changed the way we market to our potential and existing customers.

Your content marketing is still vital, you need to be Blogging regularly, you need to be updating the content on your website regularly, but of course we need people to see and read your content.

My 5 good reasons

  1. You NEED people to see your content – So you have written a fantastic Blog post, you have updated your web pages in your site…fantastic! But if no one can see it it is just the same as having an ice cream van parked in the middle of the Sahara Desert! So how do you get people to see your excellent content? Well this is where Social Media is so vital. You need to get that link to your Blog, that video or amazing images seen by as many people as you can. Using the likes of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc is the perfect distribution tool for your content, they enable you to get it out there to your target audience almost instantly and easily.
  2. They`ve seen it, now you NEED them to share it! – Ok so you have distributed your content, people are reading it now we need them to share it and increase the exposure for your content. Word of mouth or referrals have always been powerful for any business and Social Media takes this to a whole new level. When somebody see`s that a friend, relation or colleague `likes` or `shares` something then they instantly feel that that content, product or service must be good. With just a single person sharing your content it can instantly reach a potential audience of hundreds, if not thousands. By putting out useful, interesting and educational content out there you will soon find that it is getting shared and the word is spreading about you and your business!image of a woman connecting with her Social Media contacts
  3. So how do you keep finding new content? – This is the one big question that I am always asked. What you need to look at is what people are talking about at this very moment, look at what is trending on Twitter, look at the news headlines and try to think how you can fit that in with your business or niche. Use things like Google Alerts to quickly set up alerts for the latest news and Blogs within your industry to give you ideas and inspiration. Download an app called Zite for your phone as this can give you the very latest news sometimes before it even gets indexed in the search engines. Feedly is another that I use to monitor Blogs within my industry. All free to use!
  4. Recycling is important yes? Absolutely! – We are all encouraged to recycle these days and I am going to tell you to do just that with your content. That fantastic Blog post you wrote a few weeks or months ago got distributed, got shared so that`s `job done` yes? Absolutely not! If it is still relevant and still up to date then re-post it! You will have received new followers and new fans since you last posted it so post it again. Also your existing followers at the time might not have seen it the first time around. Try re-posting each time by re-wording the update on Social Media and try coming at your audience from a different angle, something may have happened in the news recently that now makes your old Blog post even more relevant now so strike while the iron is hot!
  5. It is called `Social` Media for a reason – For me this is the important factor. People will comment on your updates and your content so make sure that you engage with them, it will also influence your search ranking with Google. If somebody spoke to you in the street or in the shop you wouldn`t just ignore them would you? So make sure that you engage with your audience. Create a discussion, it will help to develop a relationship and build that trust. Your content alone cannot do this, your Social Media can! This will also help create brand loyalty if you take the time to engage, respond and discuss. With software like Hootsuite or Sprout Social and all the mobile apps these days it has never been easier to engage with both your potential and existing customers and clients.

Summary:

Can you see just how important Social Media is for your business? It is just as, if not more, important than content marketing. With your content just sitting there you are reliant on visitors coming to you, with Social Media you can take your content to them. So instead of you sitting there in your ice cream van in the Sahara waiting for someone to come and buy a 99 you can now drive to where your customers are waiting. Social Media is not a fad, it is not something that you or your business can do without, it is now a neccessity if you want your business to grow and succeed.

What are your thoughts and experiences? Please share them in the comments box below.

Until next time

Martin

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