Covering all your bases with a comprehensive marketing strategy can seem like a lot as a small business owner. But it’s necessary to be active online in multiple places, and that includes social media. We live in an online world, so to engage your customers and stay competitive, you should adapt and explore your online reach.  

Social media, in particular, is crucial to small businesses. Here are a few statistics to show you the power of social media—and why you should consider adding it into your marketing plan.

Your customers are already using it.

About seven out of every 10 Americans use social media. That number has increased for every age group over the past several years, which means that your target market is probably already using social media.

As the most popular social media site, Facebook is a great place to start promoting your business.

• In October 2018, there were more than 2 billion active users on Facebook alone.
• About three out of every four Facebook users log on at least once per day.

If you want to reach clients and prospects, you need to be where they are. By using social media, you’ll increase the odds that your marketing message will get through to them.

It’ll give you a competitive advantage.

If you’re one of the few businesses not currently using social media, you’re competing against others that are. While social media can seem like just another thing on your plate, but a little work can bring you major returns for your small business.

Even though many businesses are using social media, many aren’t using it well. While 80% of businesses that are online think they deliver excellent customer service via social media, only 8% of their customers agree. If you use social media effectively, you can stand out among your competitors.

Here are a few more statistics that show how social media can help your business compete:

• 54% of social media users research products there.
• Out of consumers who have had good social media service with a brand, 71% say they’d recommend it to their friends and family.
• 52% of customers’ online and offline purchases were influenced by Facebook.

It helps you connect with potential customers.

Some marketing channels are still one-way, meaning a business will send out its marketing message, and the customer receives it without having the opportunity to engage or give feedback. Social media, on the other hand, allows two-way engagement between your business and your ideal customers, which is starting to become more of an expectation than a benefit.

These statistics show how connecting online is important to customers:

• 90% of people on social media say they’ve used it to communicate with a business or brand.
• Adults aged 18-34 are most likely to follow a brand on social media.  
• 63% of customers say they think companies are expected to provide customer service via social media.

Such networks also help you create a community of fans and followers to see you as more than just a business entity. Customers will also come to recognize and trust your brand, which can turn into more purchases.

Social media is necessary for any small business marketing plan, but adding more work to your plate may not be feasible. Your time, goals, and needs are all factors to consider when deciding whether or not to hire an agency. However, without marketing, your company simply isn’t reaching its biggest audience or its full potential.

A team of experts can take some tasks off your plate, so you can focus on your own responsibilities. For most businesses, it’s efficient and cost-effective to partner with a social media marketing agency that can work with your company to ensure your goals are met and budgets are kept.

Our proven marketing protocol helps companies make more money, free up time, and plan an effective strategy.

Treefrog Marketing is an agency in Lafayette, Indiana focused on small business. We specialize in strategic marketing and advertising, graphic design, web design, social media, SEO, and more. For more information, please visit our website. You can also connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.