There is no denying that social media has become important when it comes to business. It offers new opportunities to communicate with and appeal to a company’s target audience. Before the emergence of social media marketing, companies had to host live events to find potential customers.
Additionally, it was harder to keep up with bigger businesses that had the budget to invest in traditional advertising platforms.
How Social Media Changed Things
Consumer behavior has changed over time. With the Internet, it has become easier to reach out to target markets. Here are some ways social media transformed the marketplace:
- Startups and small business entities can get their messages across by targeting certain groups virtually.
- Communicating with your audience has become faster and more convenient.
- Instead of giving away business cards, companies can pop up on the feed of potential customers.
- Businesses can showcase the value of their products or services upfront.
Social Media’s Impact
If you are still unsure whether launching online accounts is right for the company, here are some of the major impacts of social media marketing this year:
- Businesses can be omnipresent. Companies need to be where their target audience is. In 2020, doing this has become effortless. One business entity can have social media accounts on different platforms to ensure a wider reach.
- It increased personalization. Brands can now achieve a new level of personalization. Simply slide into the daily activities of a potential customer without being overly intrusive. That helps in developing more personal interactions and ensuring that your ads are relevant to the interests of the client.
- It encouraged loyalty. Being accessible to consumers helps make them feel heard and appreciated. In return, they are more likely to develop brand loyalty. It also allows companies to discover aspects of the business that need improvement.
- It increased collaboration opportunities. Companies that rely on collaborations to ensure growth have found them easier with the help of social networking sites. Connecting with industry experts and influencers has become more efficient.
- Social media adds brand credibility. One of the major advantages of social media is that it helps build the credibility of a company and prove its legitimacy. Many consumers go to the Internet to find out more about a company and its products or services. Potential clients can also check how a company interacts with current customers and interested parties.
Businesses with Effective Social Media Promotions
To make social networking sites work for them, companies need to have a solid social media marketing plan. If you do not know where to start, get inspiration from the following brands:
- Starbucks – Coffee has become part of the daily routine of millions of individuals. It has become a source of memes and various quotes. What Starbucks did was they launched a one-week campaign that incorporated the mysteriousness and beauty of a mythical creature. Like its namesake, Starbucks’ Unicorn Frappuccino offered a magical and colorful experience. Being a limited-time offer turned it into an in-demand product. Coffee lovers lined up to get a taste of this drink that they may only get to have once.
- Gillette – The brand’s “The Best Men Can Be” campaign stirred up debates. While some questioned and complained about the company’s stance, many lauded it for taking a look into toxic masculinity. It even garnered millions of mentions within the first 4 hours.
- Spotify – The company took personalization to a whole new level when it sent videos that wrap up the customer’s year of listening. It showed the most played artist in 2019 and even during the last decade. By sending out personalized and shareable videos, Spotify allowed users to connect with others and provide a sneak peek into their lives.
- Disney+ – Star Wars has a huge fan base, and Disney knows that well. While it was risky for the company to launch a streaming platform to compete with more established brands like Netflix, offering exclusive access to certain content helped it reach loyal fans. The Internet exploded when Baby Yoda came out. Memes were created and shared across multiple platforms. The nostalgia that the viral campaign offered made it impossible to not notice the company’s streaming service.
Those are only a few of the companies that social media promoted during the year. The lesson that an entrepreneur can get from this is the importance of connecting with your target audience. Get to know them. Create social media campaigns that are appealing and relevant but unique. This way, your brand can stand out among its competitors.