Why your business need social media marketing

According to Razorfish Consumer Experience report, 49 percent of web users made a purchase based on recommendations they received through a social media websites. Yet only 21 percent of businesses have a Facebook page, and many few company’s use any other social media platforms. Marketers are missing out on a huge opportunity to connect with potential customers. 

Social media marketing is a good idea for the three reasons.

• Social media sites are where the people are. For example, there is a huge exhibition happening with around 500 visitors, and if somebody offers you a free booth. Would you deny the offer? I am sure you will not. That is how many people are using Facebook. Remember the famous saying 'If Facebook was a country, it would be the world's fourth largest, smaller than the United States but larger than Indonesia. Interestingly it costs nothing to join. 

• The faith/trust in advertising is fading- Simple we trust our friends more than we trust what a nice guy tells us on TV. You can neither be that friend nor can you be in TV that gets ignored. The ball is in your court. Because of the transparent nature of social media, you cannot hide who you are for long. For instance,  a company pretends that they value their customer above everything. Then they turn around and abuse or treat a customer badly. Chances are the customer will have a Facebook profile or twitter. Even if she does not have it, then she may convey this to her friends.

• You are in news, and people are talking about you. This may sound different because people are already talking about your product, service and customer service, and its inevitable Social media and communities are breeding ground for interaction.

Before you join social media, a simple thing to be noted.  You have to know that there is really only one way 'Social' and 'Marketing' can coexist happily. And that is if you take off your marketing hat when thinking about social medial marketing, and instead think like an average user of social media.

The only choice you have is whether you want to join the conversation.