Over the past decade, social media marketing has grown from a fringe advertising strategy to a vital marketing tool for businesses of all sizes. Social networks make great marketing tools because they require a minimal financial investment and if used correctly, can quickly help a business to grow. Here are eight reasons social media marketing can help your business thrive.

1. Social media is cheap

Are you working on a tight marketing budget? No problem. Social media provides an affordable way to market your business and build your brand. You don’t have to break the bank to reach your target audience thanks to the low-cost advertising options offered by social networks.

Create a website landing page that will be the foundation of all your marketing efforts and use social media to direct your audience there. With some well-placed advertisements, patience, and a bit of luck, sales will start to roll in.

2. Social media gets the word out

You’ve designed your brand and created a product that’s ready to sell. The next step is to get the word out and grow your business, and that’s where social media comes in. Use it to speak to your customer base. Do you have new stock coming in soon? Is there a big holiday sale coming up? Don’t be shy, broadcast it loud and clear.

3. Social media reaches all demographics

Social media defies all demographic barriers. No matter how niche your product may be, you’re guaranteed to find your audience. Create a demographic profile of your ideal customer and use analytics tools, surveys, and individual conversations to discover where they hang out. Tailor your marketing strategy specifically for your target demographic and use social media to reach them directly.

4. Social media is accessible everywhere

Social media is now everywhere thanks to the proliferation of smartphones. You can reach your audience from anywhere and at any time because of mobile apps provided for free by major social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. At this point, not having an active social media presence that’s accessible on mobile is kind of like selling VHS tapes in a market dominated by streaming services. You’re not doing yourself any favors.

5. Social media encourages two-way conversations

You won’t find a more natural way to engage with your audience and interact with them in a way that feels human. Talk to your customers and listen to their ideas, questions, and thoughts. Show them your brand’s personality and engage in a way that makes them feel like you want to help them achieve their goals. Two-way conversations are the key to turning an average customer into a brand ambassador.

6. Social media is great for customer service

Social networks are a convenient way to get in touch with your audience and handle customer service issues. Providing quality customer service is essential for any business and social media lets you instantly respond to queries and receive feedback.

That is no longer optional because many people expect a company’s social media channel to provide customer service. Come up with a customer service strategy that works for your business and make sure it has a fast response time, demonstrates empathy, and quickly takes control of a messy situation. Bad PR can take a life of its own in a matter of hours.

7. Social media can improve your email marketing strategy

Social networks can support the growth of your mailing list by providing you with an additional platform for sharing the content of your marketing emails. Use your social media profiles to funnel your audience to a landing page dedicated to converting visitors into email subscribers. Encourage them to join your mailing list in exchange for a freebie, such as an ebook, video, online course, report, etc.

8. Social media saves time

Most business owners don’t have time to handle marketing campaigns. Social media can help you save your time by letting you curate your content in advance and schedule it to get published at the optimal time for maximum effect. If you can’t afford to hire a marketing person and can’t spend a big chunk of your day keeping up with your online presence, then use social media management tools to keep track of multiple marketing campaigns at once.

Additional tips

Adopt several strategies when using social media to market your business. Remember that cheap doesn’t mean easy. You still have to put in the work, dedication, and time to fine-tune your social media marketing strategy. Even when you think your approach is perfect, there will always be room for change as your business continues to grow and evolve.