July 17, 2017
NEWS & VIEWS
Quick fire roundup:
The five main reasons why you need social media...
Social media is flipping brilliant. As a PR agency owner, it has opened up a whole new world of communication for the brands we manage, offering a means to reach audiences in a very targeted manner and engage with them.
Don’t get me wrong, its emergence onto the marketing landscape was a scary prospect. For whilst it gives brands the power to talk directly to their customers, they of course can TALK BACK. Blimey!
But this is a good thing, trust me. The consumer insight gleaned as a result is extremely intelligent and relevant and makes PR sharper, savvier and ultimately builds a more trusting and loyal relationship between brands and their customers.
What else does social media bring to the table? Why is it rapidly becoming one of the most widely used tools in the 21st century? If you’re not already using it as part of your marketing armoury, here is a quick roundup of all that is great and good about social media:
Reason #1 – It’s accessible.
Most networks can be reached from anywhere around the globe, all you need is a laptop / smart phone / tablet and an internet connection.
Reason #2 – It’s uber popular.
Facebook has 1.97 billion active users across the globe, Instagram has 600 million monthly active accounts whilst Twitter has 328 million. 158 million people open Snapchat 18 times a day and LinkedIn has 467 million members. All of which makes the basic principles of social media familiar to most and means it’s highly likely that a large amount of your customers are present, waiting patiently for you to reach them.
Reason #3 – It’s accessible.
Most networks can be reached from anywhere around the globe, all you need is a laptop / smart phone / tablet and an internet connection.
Reason #4 – It’s trackable.
If you appreciate numbers and statistics as much as I do (I come from a family of accountants) you will love how you can measure and evaluate your social media activity, giving you a indisputable base of evidence from which you can plan future campaigns.
Reason #5 – It’s two way.
This is without a doubt the most compelling reason social media needs to be part of every brand’s marketing mix. Not only can you talk to your customers but you can listen to them too. How powerful is that? Just think about what you can do with that level of customer feedback and how you could use it to make your brand even more competitive and influential.
Oh it’s just all very, very wonderful.
That does not make it easy. It’s fast-paced, it’s ever-advancing and it must be approached strategically, in line with a wider marketing and business plan. Content must be compelling or you will quickly turn-off your audience and potentially could lose them forever. So be smart about it. Perhaps approach an agency for support. I think I might know of one...
Lisa French – Managing Partner (Truth PR).
To discover more about great social media with all the commercial benefits you need, talk to Truth on 0161 238 9780.