Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Which social networks should you be using to grow your business?




Research shows that Australian businesses cannot afford to stay out of the online conversation, however only 66% of retailers said they have a social media strategy. So what’s stopping you?

The most common issue our clients have is a lack of both time and an understanding of how social media can work for their business. However, with the right management and effort, social media has proved that it can increase customer satisfaction, brand preference and drive sales. In fact, 40% of social media users have purchased items online or in-store after sharing or ‘liking’ them on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. So, how can you use social media to grow your business?

First of all, it is important to understand the social media networks that are most suitable for retailers.

Facebook is a large social network and is fantastic for retail businesses in terms of brand exposure and customer communication. It is a great place to engage existing customers and offer sales and promotions. Facebook advertising is a major benefit of the network as it allows you to direct traffic to your Facebook page or website. Why should you be on Facebook? If Facebook were a country its population would be the 3rd largest in the world, and in August 2014 there were 13,400,000 Australians on Facebook!

Instagram is a photo sharing network that allows businesses to post images instantaneously ‘on the line’ (ahh the Internship).

Pinterest is an online collaging resource for sharing inspiration and bookmarking links. It is the perfect place to display your product range, engage viewers through high quality images and give them free reign to browse and examine potential purchases.

YouTube is a video-sharing website popular for user-generated content, video clips, vlogging and tutorials.

Linkedin is a professional networking site which allows businesses to connect with other like-minded business, as well as acting as a recruitment device.

Twitter enables businesses to send text-based posts of up to 140 characters, allowing them to quickly respond to customers. It also allows you to provide a link, which can drive website traffic.

All these social media platforms not only also provide retailers with a wealth of information about their customers, it also allows businesses to easily measure ROI, both of which is extremely difficult through traditional media.