Everything just “nice to have”? Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Co. – is that wasted time and wasted money, or does it really bring something? I want to get to the bottom of this question. Small spoiler: Social media marketing works! But let’s look at the numbers and facts.
Success through social media can be viewed from two perspectives: on the one hand, the indirect success, which is difficult to measure, and on the other hand the comprehensible marketing success with clearly measurable key figures. I once blamed both aspects for you: For the next time someone claims that social media marketing is superfluous, here are ten tangible reasons why using social media makes sense for businesses.
Facts and Figures
First, the hard facts: These positive effects are provable with numbers.
1. Social Media Brings Traffic to The Website
A look in Google Analytics proves: Social media marketing increases traffic. Why wait for a user to reach your website via Google? Social media platforms have become alternative sources of traffic – you should definitely use this potential. Even a website visitor through your social media profile is still more than a website visitor. Facebook and Pinterest are especially good as traffic drivers.
2. Effective (and Relatively Cheap) Remarketing
A big benefit of social remarketing is that you do not have to wait for the next time the user searches, but actively engage your audience.
3. More Conversions and Leads
Social media marketing is also demonstrably financially worthwhile: traffic via Facebook and other social networks helps generate leads and sell your products. After all, visitors who access your website via social media profiles are quite willing to buy something. The sales potential or purchase intention varies depending on the platform. Which platform is best suited to sell your products, you will find in the article on the right choice of social media platform.
4. Better Findability
The better findability of a company and a product is also easy to prove. When searching for images on Google Pinterest is strongly represented, in the search results but also in social media profiles. Googling Red Bull will be the fifth search result to receive the Red Bull Facebook page – and that in front of the Red Bull Media House website and the Red Bull Racing website.
Now, of course, one could argue that the two websites are pushed back one position by the Facebook page. However, Google will not have chosen the order of course for no reason – probably many people are also looking for and searching for the Facebook page. Whether the Facebook page has now grabbed the other the best position and only so well entwines, “because it is just Facebook”, or whether the search intention of the users behind it, of course, can only guess. Which brings us to the less easily detectable positive effects of social media marketing.
Positive Effects
If we come to the “soft” reasons, which are no less effective, but the effects are simply harder to prove – they may even be more effective than the measurable ones.
There is a lot of money in the research of the advertising effect, but only a few effects could really be proven repeatedly. Most of the results are more likely “under certain circumstances, the measures could work – or not” – statements. However, one very well proven effect in studies is that recommendations from friends and acquaintances have a positive impact on the purchase decision. Social media is optimal to use this effect. However, this effect is hardly measurable. The effect of Social Proof can be wonderfully used on social media – but this is also difficult to understand. Indirectly such positive effects are of course detectable at the end: through more likes, shares, traffic, sales … Unfortunately, without detectable chains of action or traffic streams.
How do you want to prove that someone has finally decided to buy a product when choosing between two products through the like or positive comment of a friend? It is certainly not even fully aware of the buyers on what basis they made their decision. But these are topics that advertising research can continue to explore. In social media marketing, we should keep these effects in mind and use our available metrics and features.
5. Social Media Profiles Make Companies Look Authentic
A social media presence makes your products look more authentic. On the one hand by direct contact and on the other by customer images, testimonials, reviews, and reactions to the contributions. You can use social media to tell customers more about your business and products. With authentic content, customers can better understand who you are and what they can expect from your products. This will give you confidence, which in the best case leads to customers preferring to buy from you rather than the competition.
6. Social Media Uses the Principle of Recommendations from Friends
Advertising trust studies repeatedly show that personal referrals are the most trusted. In a 2015 study, consumers’ opinions on the Internet follow immediately afterward. You can use both effects via social media: You get authentic opinions about your products and you also reach the friends of your customers. In most social networks it is visible what the friends comment, like, or share. A customer who shares a contribution to your product – that’s almost as good as a personal recommendation!
7. Social Media Strengthens Customer Loyalty
With a social media profile, you strengthen customer loyalty, because it is easier to keep in touch. Give the competition no chance to appear on the search radar of your customer: Because even if a customer is satisfied, it could be that he thinks at the next purchase just not to your shop and start a new search. Social Media solves this problem and connects. Once you’re in the limelight, your profile keeps appearing in the newsfeed.
Simple and timely communication via social media is also available to customers. Most of us use social media every day. We are used to handling it and therefore it is very easy to use social media as a communication channel with companies. Social media is now often the communication of choice since there are no major hurdles for the customer in the contact. Direct contact at eye level also strengthens customer loyalty.
8. Image Building Through Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is great for doing image building. The various platforms offer you a great playground to present your company in the best light and to shape the corporate character.
Desired image change? It’s easy to implement with social media marketing. Do you remember the viral superhit supergirl? Do you still remember the image of Edeka before this campaign? A supermarket chain of many.
9. Feedback & Market Research Via Social Media
The social media channels also give you direct feedback and inspiration from your customers. You can easily find out which products arrive well, where there is potential for improvement or if there are market gaps. Of course, criticism is expressed on Facebook and Co. – but if your company is present there, you can at least have a say and solve the problems.
You are criticized? Yay, you are relevant and you get attention!
Not to be underestimated are also the ideas of your customers. About customer images and reviews you can get completely new ideas for using or combining your products.
10. Why Not?
What do you have to lose? The common argument against social media marketing is the fear of a shitstorm. But honestly, do you really want to forgo all these positive effects of social media marketing because maybe someone could say something bad about your business?
Anyone who says that’s all well and good, but would not work for their own company or the target group is not represented in the social networks, I recommend to take a look at the Facebook page of Hubert Laubach burials. Even with a difficult topic, it is possible to do effective social media marketing and achieve concrete results.
So that the workload for the support of social media platforms is worthwhile (and you can exploit all these effects), the right strategy is necessary. Of course – as in just about every other area – you have to invest first. Until the workload is in relation to success. But do not let this put you off. Because the nice thing is that there are not in vain social networks – with a little luck you get support from the community and your marketing measures become a matter of course.
If you want to use social media marketing, but do not know how best to approach it, we will create an effective social media marketing strategy for your business that will help you realize your potential.
