We often meet clients who are reluctant to use social media for their eCommerce. We believe it’s important to explain the benefits of these communication channels.
Today, the growth of social networks has been massive. We can find social spaces for almost every kind of interest. Yet there are still online store owners who think their business model has no place on social media. Claiming this from the outset is, at the very least, rash.
Before jumping to such conclusions, we should start with this question: what are the benefits of promoting yourself on social media?
If we think about the essentials, what an eCommerce needs to survive, namely customers, social media lets them see our promotions and offers and get answers to the questions they ask there. We’ve already seen that social media wasn’t a passing fad, and most companies that have taken their business online have embraced it as a communication channel with their customers.
Have you ever wondered what the benefits of using social media for your business are?
- You can keep your customers informed, since every time they visit your social profile they see all your activity. That’s why it’s important to post information about your products, promotions, offers or any relevant news every day. Try not to be too “pushy” about it, as you need to avoid overloading people. This matters just as much as not neglecting your profile. Both are negative for your followers.
- On social media you can post links pointing to your website or eCommerce. This way you generate external links.
- You’ll increase the chances of your brand becoming known, because its name appears on every social network where you manage your brand profile.
- It’s traffic you can measure. Today there are many free tools that let you analyze traffic sources. That way you’ll know which social network brings you more or fewer visits, so you can focus on one over another or simply see which performs best. Examples include the analytics tool everyone knows, Google Analytics, or Facebook’s own tool, available when you create a business page from your personal profile.
- A social network you invest time in, where you answer questions, offer promotions and run actions to grab users’ attention, is one that generates fans. Many users see a social profile with a significant number of followers as a sign of quality products.
- We can gather insights about our services or products thanks to the comments and reviews followers leave. This gives us information to analyze the market and improve or strengthen our services.
Now you may be wondering: which social networks should I sign up for?
Obviously, not every social network is right for your business, and you can’t be on all of them either.
You need to assess, research and check whether your competitors are on certain social networks or not.
If you have videos of your products, it’s a good idea to create a YouTube or Vimeo profile; if you post offers regularly, Facebook and Twitter are effective tools; if you’re looking for a place to post images of your products, Pinterest is the right social network.
Once the profiles are created comes the part where most companies fall short: updating them frequently and replying to users. Keeping these profiles alive and active is essential, as they need to be shaped so users clearly understand our business and products.
We recommend promoting your company on social media. Being there is a must when your prospects spend their time in these spaces.
Image source: www.hotpotatosocialmedia.com
