Why should I use social media, anyway?

Recently, someone asked me, “Why should I be on social media?”

My response was, “Why not?”

To be honest, almost every business owner can benefit to some extent from being on social media. Your potential clients are there! And if you can tap into an additional marketing path, you can reach them much more quickly.

Visibility

When you use more platforms to get your message out, you (and your business) become more visible. In other words, more people can see you more often. And when your audience sees you more often, they become more familiar with you. This is the first step in the Know-Like-Trust pattern. The more people KNOW you, the more likely they are to LIKE you. And once they LIKE you, they’re more likely to TRUST you.

Authenticity

On social media, you have many more opportunities to make connections with your audience. Where visibility allows people to know you, authenticity helps the right people to like you. If you try to be someone else, not only will you attract the wrong people, but you risk your audience seeing through you and calling you out as a fake. So really put YOURSELF out there, not how you think people expect you to act.

Consistency

Using social media is an opportunity to share your brand with the world. And by making sure that your brand looks the same across your physical location, your website, and your social media platforms, you reinforce the notion that you take care with all aspects of your business. This also gives your audience permission not only to know and like you, but to trust you as well.

Authority

You have so much to offer! You’re an expert in your field, and there’s nothing wrong with letting your audience know it. They need help, and you understand exactly what they need (even if they don’t). Showcasing your authority through social media allows your audience to see you as the expert you really are. And that allows the to trust you even more.

Connection

Did you know that people don’t really buy from you because of what you have to offer? Many other people probably have similar products and services. So, why do they buy from you? It’s because of you. And the connection you make with them. All of the other characteristics on this list combine to create your connection to your audience. Social media makes it much easier to keep in touch with those special people that only you can serve.

I’d love to hear why you like to use social media for your business (and what you don’t enjoy about it!). Please leave me a comment or send me a message!