Questions and Answers about Social Media Marketing

Do you feel like everyone is talking about how social media is important for businesses? Have you always wondered why? Is it even worth the effort for smaller companies? eMarketing247 is going to answer all of your questions! So, let's get started:

•  Why is social media marketing important?Well, first off, social media is FREEE and it offers businesses increased exposure! Sure, having great SEO and content on a business website helps, but creating a social media page on Facebook, twitter, Google+, Instagram etc., helps get the word out even more! Who knows when a customer might stumble along and find the company!Social media is also extremely helpful as an avenue of communication. Instead of having to call or email a company when customers have a problem, they can simply comment directly on a social media page, such as Facebook. These comments may even spark conversations with other customers as well, who may have had a similar experience, or who are interested in the product!
• So if customers post a negative complaint about the service/product, what should the company do? The first thing is to RESPOND! We cannot begin to stress this enough! If there is no response on the social media site, then it just proves that the company doesn’t care about their customers. The customer who posted the negative comment looks “informed” and the company looks like it isn't on top of things. Even if the company DOES care about customers, actions speak louder than words! If a company catches a comment in time it is best to respond immediately. Normally there is a 24 hour “grace” period, but after that it looks like the company does not care at all.
• Well, can’t the company just respond privately to the unhappy customer?NO! If the company responds to the customer privately, they still have to put something on the social media site acknowledging that. If other customers/potential customers see that a company did not respond promptly, they will take notice! Responding quickly and effectively to customers is key!
• Hopefully, not everyone who posts is going to be unhappy though! Right? Exactly! Social media is perfect for building a loyal fan base for businesses. Potential and returning customers are able to follow the business on social media and interact with the company on a daily or weekly business. By simply having a social media presence, a company becomes more “real” to a customer who will see it almost every day. Once a company has loyal fans, it is going to want to reward them!
• Reward them how? Like with free stuff? Sure! A company can use social media as an avenue to present special offers to loyal followers and fans. Maybe this special offer is a discount or a buy one get one free coupon. The options are endless! 
• Okay, but is it really worth the time for small businesses to do social media? Yes! It is totally worth it, especially since creating social media profiles is totally free! As I explained above, customers will be able to interact with a company on a daily basis, be first in line for “secret” rewards, and have the option to contact the company right from their Facbeook!
• What type of content should small businesses post on social media? eMarketing247 likes to post links, videos, blogs, and articles related to the businesses that we manage. For example, when we manage social media that is related to cruising, some days we will share our own blog posts or videos, and some days we will share, for example, “Time Magazine’s 10 tips for better cruising.” Businesses should share whatever they think is applicable to their business audience.
• Okay so only business related stuff! Got it.Well, not exactly. Business related stuff is great most of the time, but companies don’t want to bore customers with posts ONLY related to one thing. Throw in some “thank goodness its Friday” pictures and interesting links for a change!   
• What are some ways that businesses can gain more followers on social media? Well, simply posting consistently will help drive exposure! If people like what a business is posting, they will share it with their friends or retweet it to their followers. In addition, People love free/discounted things. Businesses can make special offers only on social media or do drawings or competitions on social media. Current followers may share or retweet to their followers, who may love the content and BAM you just gained another follower. There are so many possibilities! The company just has to be creative!

We hope that we were able to answer some of your frequently asked questions, and hope that we provided you with some insight about social media marketing! Please visit our website for more information about our social media marketing services!