Why Does Social Media Matter for Business? Short Guide to Long-Term Social Impact

Here’s the skinny — approximately 3.5 billion people use social networks, and that figure continues to climb. If you own a business, no matter your industry, social media is one of the best ways to connect with your audience. So why does social media matter for business?

In short, it helps you do one of the most important things in a business and client relationship — connect. On this page, we’ll take a deep dive into the following topics:

• Why does social media matter for business?
• What are the benefits of social media for business?
• Social media marketing stats for business

If you already understand the huge positive impact social media can have on your business, and you’re ready to implement your own campaign, feel free to give WebFX a call at 888-601-5359! Otherwise, keep reading to learn some fantastic facts about why social media matters to every business.

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Why does social media matter for business?

Let’s jump right in! Why use social media for business?

This is a common question — especially for new businesses, businesses that are new to marketing, or businesses that haven’t yet adopted social media marketing. To keep it simple, there are a few main reasons why social media matters to all businesses:

Social media matters to business because: Billions of people use it

Like so many mothers ask, “If your friend jumps off a bridge, would you?” Of course, the question is asked to prove the point that just because one person does something doesn’t mean that you also have to. However, with social media marketing, you’ll want to follow your friend on this one. With approximately 3.5 billion people using social networks as a form of entertainment and communication, it’s become commonplace to also find businesses on social media platforms.

In fact, many people look for a brand’s social media platforms to learn more about them and how they interact with clients. Since most social platforms offer some sort of visual, visitors also look to a brand’s social profile to see images of things like their facility, their products, and even how others use their products.

Social media matters to business because: Your competitors use it

Wondering “Why use social media for business?” One of the most important reasons is to stay level with competitors. If you want to stay on par with your competitors, it’s crucial that you use social media for your business.

If your competitors aren’t on social media, but you are, it will put you one step ahead. On the other hand, if they are on social media, it will ensure that you’re just as visible to potential customers. If you aren’t present on social media, you’ll miss out on the key benefits of social media for businesses that your competitors capitalize on.

For example, some benefits of social media for business include:

• Increased customer satisfaction
• Increased website traffic
• Increased sales

But we’ll get into that later. At the end of the day, you don’t want your competitors to have a leg up, so it’s vital that your business is present on social media.

Social media matters to business because: It lets you connect on a deeper level

Social media removes the veil between you and your customers. In comparison to your website where users might have to fill out a contact form to get in touch with you, social media allows them to connect with you in the comments of a post, or via a platform’s built-in message platform.

This means that customers automatically feel closer to you as a business since it provides an easy way to get in touch.

Social media matters to business because: It supplements your website

Like humans, your website needs supplements to stay healthy. Social media is one of those supplements for your website. Social platforms help keep your website healthy by providing a steady stream of new traffic from links that you include in your posts. For example, sharing your website’s blog posts on social media is a great example of omnichannel marketing since it involves two pieces of your online real estate — your social profiles and your website.

This increase in traffic means that your website gets more visitors, more leads, and more sales over time — if you use social media correctly.

What are the benefits of social media for business?

One of the most-asked questions from business owners is “What are the benefits of social media for my business?” After all, social media marketing takes a strong strategy, planning, and dedication to see results — so businesses often want to know what’s in it for them. Read on to learn about some benefits of using social media for your business.

1. It lets you easily monitor results

If you’ve ever heard that your marketing efforts are useless unless you analyze them, you’ve heard correctly. Unless you monitor and analyze your current social media marketing strategy, you won’t have any intel into what’s working and what’s not. To experience the most success with social media for business, it’s crucial that you use the built-in analytics platforms that come with most social platforms to look at key metrics.

Facebook’s baked-in analytics platform called Facebook Insights, for example, offers insights into metrics like page views, post reach, and page followers.

On the other hand, LinkedIn’s analytics platform offers metrics concerning visitors, updates, and followers.

Social media marketing is a strategy that you can easily analyze and track success — making it ideal for businesses looking to drive real results.

2. It provides advertising options

Social media platforms don’t just allow you to post your content, they also allow you to create ads. You can use social media ads to sell more products, increase website traffic, and increase brand recognition and loyalty. Most ad options are baked into social platforms, and an agency like WebFX can help you create compelling ads that target your most qualified customers.

3. It helps you increase brand awareness

The more users see your brand, the more you can increase awareness. If you’ve already adopted a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy,  you’re likely already showing up higher in search results. Fantastic search rankings in tandem with a social media presence and social ads can help you increase brand awareness so that more users remember your business.

This also increases the chances that they’ll turn to you when they need your products or services.

4. It’s a traffic driver

As we mentioned before, you can link to website content from your social media posts. But that’s not the only way social media works to drive traffic to your site. You’ll also be able to increase your website traffic with social media ads that link to enticing landing pages. When you create a social media ad and a user is interested in the product shown, they’ll click to view your custom landing page. This landing page is housed on your website and includes things like:

• Product description
• Price
• Materials used
• Colors available
• Dimensions and specs
• Photos
• Reviews
• Call to action (CTA) to buy

Let’s not forget that since social media also helps to increase brand awareness, having a profile can increase web traffic simply by keeping your business top-of-mind. When you have a social profile and stay top of mind with users, they’ll be more likely to navigate directly to your site later.

5. It’s a low-cost strategy

It doesn’t cost a penny to sign up for social media platforms. That’s right — you can have your very own Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube accounts at no cost to you. You can also post for free, and the only time you’ll pay to use a platform is when you opt to use ads.

Keep in mind that even though you’ll pay for social media ads, they’re extremely affordable and effective.

Social media stats for business

We know that social media matters for business, but if you’re still not convinced, check out some data that we’ve collected to back up our claims.

Facebook stats for business

• 90 million small businesses use Facebook.
• 64% of people say that they’d rather message a business via Facebook than call or email them.
• 87% of all U.S. marketers will use Facebook marketing this year.
• 56% of users said that Facebook messaging is a part of their buying journey.

Instagram stats for business

• 92% of Instagram users say that after seeing a product or service on Instagram, they’ve either followed that brand, clicked their website, or made a purchase.
• 1/3 of the most-viewed Instagram Stories are posted by businesses.
• More than 75% of U.S. businesses will use Instagram this year.
• 130 million users click on Instagram shopping posts every month.

Twitter stats for business

• Twitter ad engagement is up 23% according to Twitter’s Q3 report.
• 66% of brands with more than 100 employees use Twitter for marketing.
• 52% of users say they’ve bought a product they saw on Twitter.
• Companies that use Twitter for customer service see a 19% increase in customer satisfaction.

YouTube stats for business

• When users watch a YouTube video as a part of their purchasing journey, 80% of them did so early in the buying process.
• Users doubled the watch time on videos helping them decide which product to buy between 2017 and 2018.
• Twice as many small- to medium-sized businesses advertise on YouTube.
• 68% of users watch a YouTube video to help them make a purchasing decision.

LinkedIn stats for business

• 80% of B2B leads come from LinkedIn.
• 97% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn.
• 43% of marketers say they have sourced a customer from LinkedIn.
• 79% of marketers consider LinkedIn an effective lead generation source.

Your social media marketing strategy matters to WebFX

If you’re looking for a social media marketing agency that will treat your company like family, WebFX is here for you. We’ve driven incredible results for clients, and we can’t wait to drive the same success for your business. With over 165,000 client social posts under our belt and more than 500 digital marketing experts on team, we feel confident that we’ve got your social media marketing strategy under control.

For a free quote, contact us online, or give us a call at 888-601-5359.