Social media has been the buzzword for quite some time now, especially when it comes to starting a business, but the question remains, “What are the best ways to increase brand awareness using social media?” The answer is simple, social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter have become one of the most popular ways to interact with customers. These are two websites that are free to join and can be used by anyone with an internet connection. This means that businesses can use them to promote their products and services at no cost at all.
One of the most important things about social media is the ability to spread the word quickly. Most people would rather share positive stories about a product or company than negative ones. Positive stories, articles and comments are usually seen as more credible and believable, which can also make the company look good. This therefore, encourages people to link to the company’s Facebook page or website and even tweet about it, creating more people to become aware of the company.
Another advantage that social media offers is that it allows businesses to interact with their customers on a more personal level. Customers feel much more at ease chatting to someone that they know and trust. If a person is happy with their purchase then they will more than likely be happy to tell friends about it. If the customer is unhappy then they are likely to be less inclined to use the company if they have had bad experiences in the past. Also, they may not return if they have received a negative comment about the products or services provided.
Branding is everything so using social media is the perfect way of doing this. By creating profiles on the various websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+ they will be able to put their company logo on any product they wish. This helps to give an impression of their company to anyone they meet, increasing their exposure massively. People are much more likely to buy a product that they know is produced by a well known company and they like to associate those companies with honesty and quality.
There are many different ways to promote your products online these days but this is probably one of the best methods available. Companies can increase their visibility and profile within a very short space of time using this method. Social media will allow the company to get quick results, which is essential to stay ahead of the competition. It also allows them to interact with their customers on an individual basis and develop good relationships with them. These relationships are the key to making sales and keep customers coming back to purchase more products in the future. It is an effective way to advertise by word of mouth alone.
The main disadvantage of social media is that it takes a lot of time to set up, master and maintain. The advantages far outstrip this and the cost of setting up a profile, maintaining it and using the various social networking sites is usually far less than the costs of actually advertising through traditional methods such as newspapers, television or billboards. This makes it highly cost effective to use social media for increasing brand awareness and providing visibility to a company. Brand recognition is important and the sooner it is spread, the greater the benefit.
Customers are looking for updates, they want to be kept in the loop and this is where the company should deliver on its promise. A simple way to do this is by providing regular posts on social networking sites. Providing information is the best way to retain customer loyalty. They want to know that the company is doing all it can to keep them informed and satisfied.
This form of advertising has been adopted successfully by many companies. It is cost effective, very easy to manage and provides a fantastic opportunity to create long term relationships with customers. There is no reason why a business owner should not use social media to their advantage. The advantages of doing so are numerous and each can be used to enhance a company’s reputation and increase brand awareness. It is up to the company owner to make the decision which ones are the most appropriate for their needs.
