Why Social Media Marketing is Necessary for Every Business
Social media is vital for building a strong brand reputation. According to the 2023 State of Social Media Report, 94% of business leaders agree that social data and insights positively impact brand reputation and loyalty (Sprout Social, 2024). As of April 2024, there were 5.44 billion internet users worldwide, accounting for 67.1% of the global population. Of these, 62.6% were social media users (Statista, 2024). This number is projected to surpass 6 billion by 2026, driven by the increasing prevalence of mobile devices globally. Social media marketing has significantly impacted the worldwide market, with the United States leading in social media ad spending, totaling $72.3 billion (Statista, 2024). Social media marketing has become an essential tool for businesses to increase revenue, highlighting the importance of maintaining a strong social media presence.
It is crucial to reach your audience where they spend their time. As of 2024, internet users spend approximately 151 minutes daily on social media and messaging apps, a 40% increase since 2015 (Statista, 2024). Building a robust social media presence enables your brand to establish a solid image, connect with your audience, and gain deeper insights into their preferences. In 2024, 77% of businesses use social media to reach customers, and 41% of small businesses rely on social media to drive revenue (Forbes).
Social media marketing has created opportunities for businesses across various industries to connect with their audiences. Melanie Hinton, vice president of Marketing and Communications at TIA says, “Social media has opened up a whole new world for marketers. First, in the old days, you had only ‘snail’ mail. Then came email. But now, with so much email being considered spam, social media opens a whole new field to promote your company and events.”
Hinton continues, “At the Transportation Intermediary Association, social media is another tool in the toolbox. Social media enables us to use videos, such as testimonials, or hear from experts directly, which creates engagement. It is also easy to find out what resonates and what doesn’t when you utilize social media as part of your marketing. It is a free tool that helps you gauge messaging and interest. It helps us pivot when we see if we are off the mark.”
Social media marketing allows for flexibility that is adept for every industry. Companies can try different content formats to gauge what their audience wants to see. Additionally, organic engagement on social media platforms allows your audience to seek information about products or services on their terms. Social media that provides value to its audience establishes your company as an industry thought leader, increasing engagement and propelling company growth.
To have a successful social media account, some important guidelines should be followed:
- Understand your audience and their preferred content and platforms
Knowing the formats of content, platforms your audience uses, and their most active times allows you to maximize the impact of your posts. Researching your target markets allows for a better understanding of the content they want to see, increasing overall engagement and effectiveness.
- Create short-form video content.
As of 2024, short-form video content delivers the highest ROI compared to other marketing trends and will attract more investment than any other format. 81% of consumers want to view more short-form videos in 2024. 69% of U.S. consumers prefer watching videos on a smartphone, making short-form videos optimized for mobile apps the most effective format (HubSpot, 2024). Furthermore, adding short-form videos to your social media feed breaks up static images and allows audiences to receive more effective messaging.
- Get straight to the point.
Use clear copy and avoid too much text in graphics to convey your message. Be creative and concise to create content that resonates with your target audience. Social media users scroll through their feeds quickly, so ensuring that content is easily digestible increases your chances of cutting through the noise.
- Stay tuned to the latest industry news and trends.
Trends on social media such as carousels and short videos are expected to continue to be successful within the next few years. Staying informed about industry trends and utilizing them to meet business goals allows your business to become an industry thought leader. By becoming an industry thought leader, your social media profiles will become more reputable, building a strong brand image.
- Don’t forget to collaborate.
Collaborating with influencers of any size in your industry can spark engagement with your content. Viewers like to see people they admire and including them in your content will make them seek it out organically. Additionally, forgetting to tag people mentioned in your posts could result in lost impressions, views, and clicks. Remember to tag people mentioned in the content and conduct outreach to influencers for potential collaborations.
- Post authentic content and avoid stock images.
Due to the vast amount of content on social media, posting authentic content that adds value to your audience helps you stand out from competitors. Avoiding stock images and instead using high-quality product images also enhances search engine optimization. Stock images feel impersonal and fail to demonstrate your company’s unique selling proposition. Using organic images and including faces of people in your company can facilitate a more personal connection between your company and your audience.
Follow these guidelines to create a successful social media account for your company. Having a strong social media presence helps in creating a lasting brand image. Creating a “real image” for your brand on social media can be achieved; by using photos taken by your company, featuring human faces, and creating valuable content that resonates with your audience. Understanding your audience involves knowing their wants, needs, pain points, and preferred content. Conducting thorough consumer research is critical to your social media account’s success.
Building a strong social media presence is essential for every company and can be achieved by following the right practices. Furthermore, maintaining your company’s social profiles is crucial for long-term success. Once you have established a strong presence, social media marketing allows your company to generate leads, gain deeper insights into your audience, conduct social listening, and create a lasting brand image.
Audiences trust brands that have a distinct voice and understand their needs. By experimenting with new social media trends and content types, you can gain a better understanding of your audience’s interests. Social media also allows for increased customer interaction and engagement, improving customer service and long-term retention rates. Ultimately, a well-executed social media strategy, from beginning to end, not only amplifies your brand’s digital presence and visibility online but also builds a resilient foundation for sustainable success in a competitive digital landscape.
By Jennifer Zhao, digital marketing specialist, TIA
