Can social media really boost your business

Social media. Everyone’s talking about it and using it, but is it really as effective as it poses to be? This article aims to uncover if the benefits of social media are more myth or reality. Every day we interact with businesses and individuals via social media whether it’s a Like on Facebook or a review on Google Plus. Social media is a part of our lives. Because of the social media frenzy that has started, we are seeing more and more companies using it as an integral part of their marketing strategies.

The Facts

Facebook has continuously expanded with no signs of slowing down, currently it has 665 million users on a daily basis and the number of monthly users has passed over 1.1 billion. Their mobile users have reached 751 million and this is responsible for 30% of its ad revenue. Facebook has become a no brainer for businesses and due to its large scale nature you will be able to reach a wider audience and convey your company’s message with ease.

Twitter is close behind Facebook and is the fastest growing social networking site in the world. Its largest jump in growth occurred from June 2012 to March of this year and it has 288 million users monthly. Surprisingly its fastest growing demographic is 55 – 64 year olds with an increase in users of 79%. With 51% of active twitter users following brands and products it is clear that Twitter will become a dominant force in any social media strategy.

YouTube is a brand that everyone is familiar with. It is classed as the second largest search engine in the world after Google and reached more 18-34 year olds than any cable network. It has over 1 billion users monthly and 6 billion hours worth of video. This social media tool is great for businesses as the use of video allows a company to show their image and interact with their customers on a more personal level.

With 359 million users a month Google Plus is perhaps not as popular as Facebook but it is an essential element for any business nonetheless. Google Plus has a unique feature and that is that it can help you rank better on a Google search. Ranking better on a Google search will ensure that you pick up a higher level of traffic on your website. This ultimately leads to more business.

Finally we have LinkedIn, the largest network of professionals and businesses in the world. This is key for the B2B market as the audience is directly linked to the professional industry. Having over 200 million users it is a great way to gain recognition with other professionals in your industry and raise your brand awareness.

From the sheer volume of users, we can see that the use of social media will be effective. When running a business, creating awareness about your brand is a must as it suggests to the consumer that the company is established and therefore a purchase from them will be at lower risk. Social media is a tool that should be used to enhance your business profile; it also gives your business the ability to interact with the customer and gain useful feedback. Social media is something every business should be utilising as it allows broader exposure so whether  you are running a small family business or a huge cooperation social media is a must.