By: Karina Yucel
Long story short…yes. In 2019, not using social media for your business is like using a horse and buggy to get around while everyone else is in sports cars.
In a recent survey of marketers, 90% said social media has increased their business exposure and 66% say spending 6 hours a week on social media has increased their leads. Who couldn’t use more business?
Need some more reasons for why your business should be using social media?
• 54% of consumers use social media to research new products
• 62% of consumers are more likely to buy after seeing social content
• 74% of consumers rely on social networks to guide purchase decisions
• 78% of people said that social media posts of companies influence their buying decisions
These stats are great…but what does it mean for your business?
The great thing about the internet is that it makes the world a smaller place and social media can only increase your presence in the digital world. Out of the 7 billion people on the planet, 3.2 billion of them are using social media – whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or one of the many other platforms available. Social media use is only increasing with every generation:
48% of Baby Boomers, 77% of Gen Xers and 90% of Millennials are using social media. And all these people are using social media on average over 2 hours a day. Just think about all those potential customers!
Of course, not all businesses need to be on every platform. Do some market research to find the platform where your customers are spending their time. At Thompson & Bender we recommend that all clients at least create a Facebook page, over 2/3rds of US adults are on the platform. For brands targeting younger audiences, we suggest also creating an Instagram account. While B2B brands should also create a LinkedIn page.
If that 6 hours a week I mentioned earlier seems daunting, it doesn’t have to be. A basic strategy to get you on your feet is to post at least three times a week. Having a consistent presence on social media is the first step to success!