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If social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter prove anything, it’s that the average person wants to connect. He wants to connect with his grandmother, his college roommate, his shift manager—even the barista at his local coffee shop.
Now more than ever consumers don’t just want good products. They want to connect with the brand behind the products. They want to connect with you.
Engaging the nuanced world of social media may come with unique challenges, but it also creates opportunities for you as a small business owner that were unthinkable just 10 years ago. Social media gives you the power to connect with customers on a personal level, make smarter business decisions, simplify communication, and take advantage of endless marketing opportunities at no cost to you.
As of this writing, over 2 billion users—nearly ¼ of the global population—currently use Facebook. Even more impressive? 80% of people living in the United States use the app on a daily basis. According to Forbes, 50 million businesses use Facebook Pages, making Facebook an increasingly key component of modern day marketing.
As of January 2018, Twitter has 330 million active monthly users—most of whom use the platform’s mobile app. While Twitter has a smaller following than Facebook, users’ unique motivation for joining makes Twitter a convenient space for business marketing. According to Twitter’s “Business” page, most people visit the platform to “discover something new and interesting.” Due to this “discovery mindset,” Twitter reports that 66% of survey respondents said that they “discovered a new [small or medium sized] business on Twitter.” The survey also showed that 93% of people who follow small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) plan to purchase from that business. Almost 70% “have already purchased from an SMB because of something they saw on the network” and 40% plan to purchase regularly.
Now more than ever consumers want to connect with the brand behind the products.
Facebook and Twitter aren’t just multi-billion dollar platforms—they’re the perfect place for you to start connecting with customers on a personal level. As Twitter writes, “ After someone discovers you on Twitter they start to interact with your business at each phase of purchasing. From engaging in conversations to making purchases, people are taking actions that benefit your business.” Likes, comments, and tweets allow you to see exactly what your customers are thinking. Engaging your audience not only keeps you informed of customer preferences, but also helps you build customer affinity. According to a Twitter study, “Eighty-three percent of people who Tweeted at [a small or medium sized business] and got a response came away feeling better about that business”
Social media also allows you to easily reach customers on a large scale without paying for expensive email software. Facebook Messenger allows customers to “contact businesses anytime and from any device”—which may explain why Messenger has 1.2 billion monthly active users. Similarly, “Eighty-five percent of small and medium business Twitter users say it’s important for businesses to provide customer service using the network.”
Social media gives you a large reach and visibility at a low investment. With 400 new users joining Facebook every minute, social media is the best place for you to reach large audience for free. This is why Smart Pickle helps you connect with two of the most powerful social media platforms available. Whether you want to share business news, announce an upcoming event, or gain traction on a promotion, engaging your customer base has never been easier.
