Running your business is your passion. It can be equally fulfilling and frustrating; with the seemingly never-ending to-do lists, client communications, deliverables, customer interactions, and the ongoing development of your product or offer.
With all this (and probably more) on your plate, it can be tempting to let your social media presence fall to the wayside.
But let’s imagine the consequences of ghosting your company’s Instagram. We’ve all seen a business with an outdated website full of dead links and accounts that haven’t been active since 2016. Did that inspire or encourage you to work with them? Did their lack of social media interaction make them seem more or less in touch and vibrant as a business? Exactly.
As much as you’d like to believe that “just doing your job” is enough to get your offer into the hands of your clients, old and new, it’s not. It’s 2024, and more than ever, people want to do business with a brand instead of making a simple one-off purchase. Social media is a crucial part of that brand establishment. Here’s why:
Accessibility: You’ll be able to chat with customers in real-time via comments and DMs, and gain insights on ways to grow your business through your customers’ discussions with one another. Being active on your social platforms will help clients feel seen and heard, giving them a sense of your availability to answer their questions and concerns.”
Dialogue: In the same vein as accessibility, social media engagement encourages dialogue. Since it’s not a face-to-face conversation, online interactions with your customers will give you the ability to think out and refine your message before responding. Instead of getting flustered, you’ll be able to communicate more coolly and effectively, with more time to respond eloquently and informatively.
Clearer Focus: We already mentioned gleaning customer opinions and wants via their own online conversations, but social media can help you go even further in determining future ventures. Online polls, quizzes, and surveys can help you tailor your current and future offerings to the actual needs of your clients.
Customer Advocacy: Social media encourages interaction; having an active online presence encourages customers to review your product and provide meaningful feedback. White papers, ads, and email campaigns all have their place, but nothing truly compares to hearing actual endorsements from the people you work with.
Stronger Relationships: Social media engagement can also be an opportunity to let off a little steam and show off your company’s unique personality. Try out that new TikTok trend. Meme yourselves. Showcasing who you are makes your customers feel like they know you, and they’ll want to keep viewing and engaging with your content if it’s entertaining, personal, and genuine.
It’s easy to want to relegate social media to the back burner. You’ve had a long day, that Facebook post can wait till next week, right? But if we’ve learned anything since the dawn of the internet, it’s that people are constantly seeking connections, and social media can be a convenient and expressive tool to leverage in your brand establishment.