Why Social Media Marketing Is Important for All Businesses

Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives and an important asset for businesses looking to grow and scale. In 2021, 3.6B people used social media, but the number is rising daily and is projected to hit 4.41B in 2025. That’s a lot of potential eyes on your brand! Whether you’re looking to build brand awareness, advertise a product or engage online communities, social media marketing is a must-have for business success.

So, what exactly is social media marketing, and how can businesses use it to their advantage?

What Is It?

Social media marketing refers to the use of social networks to market a company’s products and services. It provides companies with a way to reach new customers and engage existing ones with targeted content and resources. Both B2B and B2C businesses can reap the benefits of social media marketing, as it helps humanize their brands and create genuine connections with consumers.

How Do I Use It?

Social media marketing starts with building your brand online and defining its voice. Sharing your thoughts and resources, such as curated articles, videos and studies on relevant topics, attracts followers who will engage with your content, boosting your overall credibility. Not only will this position your brand as a leader in the industry, but it also drives traffic to your website and could boost your sales.

Any good social media marketing strategy includes advertising, especially because the organic reach of social content has been on the steady decline for years. Targeted campaigns based on demographics, interests and behaviors allow you to get your most valuable content in front of your ideal consumers. LinkedIn is a great platform for B2B audiences, whereas B2C advertising thrives on Facebook and Instagram.

Community management is another important aspect of social media marketing. Social media is a conversation, so brands that want to be successful need to engage with their online communities. If someone asks a question or leaves a comment, it’s your job to respond in a timely manner to show them you value their input.

The biggest part of social media is being social, so don’t be afraid to show your personality! Nobody wants to engage with a brand that sounds robotic and overly promotional.

What Platforms Do I Join?

When diving into social media marketing, it’s important to understand who your target audience is, where they’re located and your main objectives. Do you want to focus on generating leads or sales? Or do you want to boost your brand awareness and get more customers into a store location? Once you answer these questions, it’s time to pick which social platforms make the most sense for achieving your goals.

The most common platforms for businesses to be active on are LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. If your business is B2B, LinkedIn and Twitter are great platforms for you to reach a more business and corporate-focused audience. In Q4 2020, LinkedIn saw record levels of engagement, up by 19%, and a 42% increase in ad revenue. On the B2C side, Facebook and Instagram are great places to get in front of consumers. In fact, 83% of Instagram users say they discover new products or services on the app.

TikTok is also quickly gaining traction for companies, with 100M users a month, as more brands are looking for exciting new ways to interact with consumers online. As the platform grows, it’s leaning more into e-commerce as a way for businesses to interact with the app and generate more revenue. That’s not to say you should drop everything you’re doing and download TikTok. It’s important to do the research and ensure this platform makes sense for your business and your audience before investing time and resources into establishing your presence.

Social media is no longer just a social networking site for people to connect with their friends. Whether your brand is B2B or B2C, social media marketing is a powerful addition to your overall marketing strategy. With the billions of people on social media, your customers are already using these platforms, so don’t miss the opportunity to meet them where they already are.