Social media and business – Seven trends to follow

Today, social media drives many businesses and some even struggle to imagine an online business model that excludes being social. The first recognizable social media emerged in 1997 with a site named Six Degrees. It allowed users to create a profile and make friends, a primitive version of Facebook, and amassed 3.5 million registered users. Social media surged in popularity, becoming the invaluable business and social tool we know and love at present. It is estimated that at least 82% of the US population has a social media profile. This translates into roughly 223 million users as of 2020. 

Globally the number of social media users reach an approximate 4.2 billion users as of January 2021, with Facebook being overall the most popular social network based on active users, commanding more than half of the global number at an estimated 2.74 billion accounts. 

LLC formation can benefit from a solid social media strategy and we take a closer look at some of the important elements that entrepreneurs and business owners should know about when it comes to social media. 

More than Facebook and TikTok

Facebook may be the obvious choice when it comes to creating a social media profile, but there are multitudes of underexploited social media platforms. It is important to know your target audience and their preferred social media platform. Tailoring your business message to suit the platform and audience are time-honoured ways to engage with your audience. 

Valuable content

Regardless of your chosen social media platform, one condition rings true on all of them – valuable content influences the search ranking. It is easy for a post to get lost in the sea of content which is constantly produced, therefore sharing well-researched or original articles with good sources and high quality images goes a long way to add value to content. Resist the temptation to stuff articles full of keywords, not only does it read like a kick in the head, but it also encourages a high bounce rate as readers often lose interest after the first paragraph. 

Blogging is still relevant

Blogs are not dead, but the face of blogging has changed. A study by DataBox indicated that 68% of marketers find blogging more effective than two years ago. Blogging has shifted away from advice columns and niche interests to focussed, streamlined and easy to skim pages that attempt to answer the target audience’s questions. 

Conversion is the goal  

Having a vast number of followers on social media is pretty worthless if they do not engage with the content. To encourage followers, efficient calls to action (CTA) and powerful landing pages play a crucial role. Calls to action can motivate the audience to take real steps towards becoming a customer or client and can change a lead into a conversion. Skipping the CTA is a costly mistake. 

First impressions

Digital advertising helps to generate hype around the product or service being marketed. The call to action helps to seal the deal and is especially important in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Often the first impression is the only chance available, as missed opportunities can lead customers to select a competitor instead. This emphasises the importance of a strong, inspiring call to action. 

Good results aren’t free

Buying advertising helps to increase the number of followers and engagement rate on a social page. Most social media platforms can accommodate even the smallest of advertising budgets. Paid ads deliver faster results than the organic route. Using social media you can raise your traffic efficiently and build a large community around your business, product or service and paid campaigns usually allow some measure of flexibility. 

Be consistent and fun

Your followers should know what to expect from your social media channels. Flooding your timeline with too many posts can be off-putting for the audience, but following a consistent posting schedule should help to sidestep that problem. Posting the same dull content will disengage the audience quickly. Some of the ways to keep content fresh are through contests, special offers and hosting live videos. 

Social media is all about finding new ways to connect and engage with your audience. Remember to link your website in your profile bio and to customize the content you are posting to the pages. Don’t be afraid to experiment and adjust your marketing strategy, social media offer great flexibility in this regard.