Social media is ever-changing, evolving week by week and continuously diversifying the face of the Marketing industry. However one thing that hasn’t changed, is the necessity for your business to have a social media presence. The various social platforms present a plethora of opportunities to help you reach millions of consumers worldwide and build a unique relationship with your online following to create a more loyal customer base. While social media is now considered a well-established and effective method of networking and an integral part of any advertising strategy, it is surprising how many people are oblivious to its benefits.

We live in an age of innovation and a need for instant gratification, whether that be buying groceries with the click of a button or a question being answered before you finish asking it. This is an age in which consumers and organisations alike turn to social platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn to connect and associate themselves within the digital dimension of the business world. Every month, an average of 3 billion people worldwide use social media to interact with brands and fellow consumers for the majority of their online queries. Consumers now expect a faster answer on Twitter and Instagram than any other form of contact and when researching a company, you can guarantee the first stop will be your social media.

Aside from the obvious benefits of having a streamlined and effective customer service tool in the palm of your hand, your social profile should capture your brands tone and personality at a first glance. While these platforms allow you to interact with your customers in a friendlier and more relaxed environment, the standard you set with your online content goes a long way to forming an opinion about your business. It is essential to ensure that the image you’re sharing with the world is not only accurate and approachable, but engaging.

There are various types of social media marketing strategies and many ways to go about achieving your goal. It is proven that the most popular of the methods often work best when used alongside each other, however it is dependent on the desired audience and outcome. Facebook Ad campaigns offer a well-rounded and extremely efficient paid advertising option which are likely to get you the best exposure and conversions. Despite the undeniable benefits of sponsored posts, it is wise to bear in mind that paid campaigns alone cannot entirely optimise your results, organic posts are needed to show frequent activity.

The world of social media may be at the forefront of our minds, however it is still in its’ relative infancy and we are yet to see the full potential of these networks. Looking to build your brand awareness in a cost-effective manner and increase your traffic and SEO ranking has never been easier but putting together an in-depth strategy is crucial to its’ success and progression.