5 big benefits of social media for small business

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Social media has evolved from a space for personal interaction into a vibrant marketing channel for businesses of all sizes. Today, social media is a must-have for any small business – regardless of what industry you’re in. Whether you already have a strong social presence or are looking to step up your game, learn more about the benefits of social media marketing for your business.

  1. Build brand awareness.
  2. Provide stand-out customer service.
  3. Acquire leads in a low-cost way.
  4. Learn more about your customers.
  5. Increase website traffic and search ranking.

Strong brand awareness is key in building credibility for your small business – and social media is a great way to generate that awareness. Social media allows your business to share its brand across various platforms while creating a consistent look and feel. This consistency is the foundation for building a reputable brand and business. By using the same logo, font and brand colors, you create an authentic online presence…and authenticity is a must-have when it comes to building trust in your customers.

1. Build brand awareness.

Strong brand awareness is key in building credibility for your small business – and social media is a great way to generate that awareness. Social media allows your business to share its brand across various platforms while creating a consistent look and feel. This consistency is the foundation for building a reputable brand and business. By using the same logo, font and brand colors, you create an authentic online presence…and authenticity is a must-have when it comes to building trust in your customers.

Your brand voice is another thing to keep consistent across your social media channels. Though the caption for a Facebook post might be different from a TikTok video, the tone and voice should still reflect your brand.

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Try partnering with influencers to boost awareness for your brand through social media. Choose influencers who have a following demographic similar to your target customer, and then collaborate with them to drive their audience to your brand’s Instagram, Facebook or TikTok profile.

2. Provide stand-out customer service.

In a world where customers expect quick, catered customer service, social media is a wonderful avenue for delivering on those demands. Your social media profiles let you communicate, proactively or reactively, to your followers in real-time. When followers comment or pose questions and a brand responds in a timely and knowledgeable way, it conveys the business’ dedication to customer satisfaction and experience. This kind of engagement goes a long way in fostering loyalty and making a positive impression on your followers.

There are a couple of different ways to approach customer service through your social platforms. If an unhappy customer is tweeting at you, it might be best to apologize and ask them to DM you. If one of your Instagram followers comments that they’re waiting for an item to come back in stock, maybe reply directly to their comment so it can be helpful to others.

You don’t need to be available 24/7, though. Let customers know when they can expect a response by including your service hours and availability in your bio. It could be something as simple as, “We respond to DMs M-F from 10-6am.”