Over the years, social media has developed from platforms where people communicated solely with family and friends, to robust platforms where people reach out beyond their closest circles to make new friends, and connect with businesses. What once was added value for businesses, social media is now essential. That’s because so many see a brand’s social media as a form of customer service. Now, businesses are integrating social media into their marketing plans, allocating ad spend to raise brand awareness, connect with customers, and to sell products and services. If you haven’t started advertising on social media, we’ve got four reasons you may want to try.
Everyone is Online
Haven’t you heard? Everyone is now online. Well, just about everyone. In 2016, it is estimated that approximately 78% of the U.S. population has some form of social media presence. One of the most popular places to advertise is on Facebook. That’s because there are 1.7 billion Facebook users worldwide. Americans, on average, spend 50 minutes a day on Facebook and nearly two hours total using social media. Their eyes and ears are online and social media advertising puts your company’s message in front of them.
A Small Price to Pay
Worried your small business can’t afford online advertising? Think again. Facebook and Instagram advertising lets you set your own budget so you can invest as much into your advertising campaign as you feel comfortable. Set a small budget to test different types of campaigns to see what works for your company. With social media advertising, you create and manage your own ads. This puts you in complete control over the frequency of your ads and the amount of money that you spend. With real time analytics, you can see how well or how poorly an ad is performing and pull the plug at any time. You can make informed decisions and fine tune your ads quickly and easily.
Finding a New Audience
Long ago, businesses relief on magazine and newspaper ads and hoped they reached the right audience and empowered them to take action. Social media advertising allows for you to hit your target audience with pinpoint accuracy. You can drive your ad to a specific demographic based on interests, age, gender, etc. Find out who your product truly resonates with by testing different ad groups. This will give you a clear idea of who your audience is, and help convert your ads into sales.
Social media advertising gives you complete control over your advertisements. With creative control over every ad, you can decide what works best for your company. If you feel like you don’t have the training or experience to manage your company’s ad campaign, outsourcing your social media may be the best option for you. Click here to learn more about how Katie Wagner Social Media can help manage your company’s social platforms.