Are you one of the 65% of small business owners who use social media to attract new customers? If you are, then read about how to determine whether social media is working for your business. Since you created your business’ social media profiles, and started advertising on their networks, did your sales increase?
Increased sales from your social media efforts is all that matters and is how you quickly determine if social media is working for your business. What is more important to you: the number of followers/fans your company has, or how many new customers you received from using social media networks?
Using Social Media to Create a Strong Online Presence
Many small businesses are creating their own social media profiles to supplement their SEO internet marketing strategies. There are an increasing number of users who search for companies on social media networks. However, most consumers still use traditional SEO searches to find local small businesses. Using social media networks is a great way to build your company’s online presence, and people look to business profiles for confirmation after they discovered companies through a Google search.
Which Social Media Networks Do Small Businesses Use?
There are several large social media networks small businesses use to attract new customers: Facebook, Twitter, and Blogs. Business owners’ first choice in spending marketing dollars is at Facebook. Then, they’ll spend money on their own blogs, and then at Twitter. Over 66% of small businesses surveyed use Facebook to draw in new customers. Blogs and Twitter are tied at 44%, and then video and smaller social media networks fall in place.
Predicting Where Small Businesses Will Spend Their Dollars
It is estimated that by the end of 2012, 20% more small businesses will create their own social media profiles to attract new customers. Small businesses spend about 14% of their advertising budgets on social media advertising. This statistic is relevant to how many consumers actually search for businesses in social media networks. Even though small business searches through social media networks is only 15%; that number is going to keep increasing every year.
So the million dollar question to ask yourself is, “Did you see an increase in new customers and sales once you started your social media marketing?” If the answer is, yes, then social media is working for you and you should continue your efforts.
If the answer is no, don’t fret. It takes time to build a strong presence through social media channels. Before you throw in the towel and declare social media ineffective, take a step back and analyze what you’re doing. You may be participating in the wrong channels or using social media incorrectly. Tweak what you’re doing and reassess. If despite your best efforts you’re not getting new customers from social media, then it might not be for your business.
