Social media has become increasingly important, and essential for all kinds of businesses. Social media started out as a way for individuals to communicate and share information online, but today, most businesses and companies have started using social media for expanding their customer base online.
Growth of social media
Social media has seen a huge growth in the past few years, and new trends and developments are seen constantly. Companies are now using social media as an integral part of their marketing strategy. Businesses have now realized that traditional marketing techniques are not enough for surviving, in the competitive online environment. In order to get on top of your competition, you need to use social media as part of your strategy.
The essential part of marketing plans
There are many different trends in social business that we see nowadays and those that are expected to be realized in the near future. The biggest trend is that almost all big and small brands now have their own social media pages and accounts, whether it is on Facebook or Twitter. Facebook is no longer just being used by small businesses as a cheap marketing strategy; it is now seen as an essential marketing plan for all businesses. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter get more traffic than any other website on the web, and that makes them perfect for advertising and marketing.
Platform to interact with customers
Another trend in social media for businesses is using it as a platform to interact with customers, on a one on one basis. For example, when companies have a Facebook page, it allows customers to write comments, ask questions and give their feedback. Similarly, the company itself can then respond to the customers and thus, build an effective communication channel. This is very useful for building better customer relationships and providing good customer service, which can help retain customers and boost sales.
User-generated content
Businesses are also using social media for user-generated content. User generated content is an effective marketing strategy, and many businesses are now looking towards it as opposed to regular website content. User generated content such as reviews and comments are very effective for giving a good image about the company, because most people believe word of mouth and experiences, rather than what the company is telling them.
Gamification concept
Another growing trend in social media for businesses is real life ‘gamification’. According to this concept, big brands are now allowing people to participate in real life games and then win rewards. This is a great way to engage people and capture their interest. People are given certain tasks to complete, which are listed on the company’s social media page. The person who carries out all the challenges wins a gift from the company.
There are many new social media websites coming up and it is expected that businesses will move on to these new websites as well, instead of just relying on Facebook and Twitter. All in all, social media will now become more of a necessity, rather than just an additional marketing space.