Using Social Media as Your Primary Marketing Channel: Are You Doing It Right?

Social media is more popular than ever. Social media is one of the most effective marketing channels available. Social media marketing can greatly benefit your small business due to its low barrier to entry and accessibility.

It can be daunting to learn more about social media. There are so many new platforms and emerging technologies every day; it can be challenging to keep up. Today, we will be exploring why social media is so crucial for small businesses.

Ready to find out everything you need to know about social media? Read on.

What is social media?

Social media refers to the interactive technologies and platforms that enable large-scale content creation and idea sharing. Social media allows you to share your thoughts, education, hobbies, and stories with the general public.

Social media is often free-to-use and has a prolific reach. As of 2021, there will be over 3.78 billion social media users worldwide. Social media usage has grown by over 32% in just five years, a testament to its popularity.

As a small business owner, it’s important to get your brand in front of your target audience. You’re meeting potential customers where they already are by using social media. Social media is a powerful tool for building brand awareness and marketing your product affordably to a large audience.

Many consumers use platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok to shop for products and services. 83% of Instagram users discover new products and services every month, and over 200 million users browse at least one business profile every day. Social media is where your target audience is turning to conduct product research, and if you aren’t using it, you are falling behind your competitors.

Who uses social media?

You can find people of all ages, genders, occupations, and other demographics using various social media platforms. Here are the social media demographics of popular platforms Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

Instagram has a primarily female audience, with only 43% of active users being male. The largest age group is 25-34-year-olds, but there are also many teenagers on the app. Most users spend around 30 minutes a day on the app, and there are 1 billion active monthly users.

Facebook has 2.7 billion monthly active users, with the largest age group being 25-34 years old. Most Facebook users are male and spend just under 40 minutes a day on the platform.

As of 2021, the platform has seen an influx of boomers. Facebook is a prime place to advertise your products if they are geared towards older demographics.

TikTok is often seen as the new kid on the block on social media. The largest age group is 18-24-year-olds, and there are over 100 million active monthly users. This platform has one of the most dedicated user bases, with the average user spending over 21 hours per month on it.

TikTok is rapidly growing among older adults as well. The average user spends over 45 minutes on the platform, and 59% of the users are female. Influencer marketing is booming on this platform, thanks to the rise of TikTok stars like Charli Di’Amelio.

Why is social media so effective?

Social media is very effective for small businesses. Here’s why:

1. It’s excellent at increasing brand awareness:

Social media provides you with plenty of opportunities to increase your brand’s visibility. Your customers are already using social media, and by being active on these platforms, you can put your brand directly in front of prospective customers.

You can also engage with regular customers, share user-generated content, and create a strong, memorable brand image that will keep customers coming back thanks to social media.

2. Better conversions:

Sharing relevant content on social media and engaging with your customers can lead to better conversions. A solid social media presence encourages your customers to interact with your brand and garners positive interactions. This can lead to more conversions over time.

3. Cost-effective:

Most social media platforms are free-to-join, and you can create organic content there for free. Paid advertising on social media platforms is also a lot more cost-effective than traditional forms of advertising, and there’s a high ROI for social media advertising.

4. Creates a better customer experience:

Social media is all about sharing content that adds value to your customers. Being active on social media platforms provides you with an excellent opportunity to generate a better customer experience. You can respond to queries and concerns directly and share educational content that resonates with your target audience.

You can interact with your customers in a way that isn’t popular with other marketing channels. This allows you to build brand trust and a positive brand image in your prospective customers’ minds. This results in a better customer experience for your consumers and leads to more conversions.

To learn more about the creativity and the power of social media, check here