As a business, you cannot thrive in your industry without lasting relationships. Having a social media presence allows you to build a relationship with your consumer by interacting with them through posts, polls, or direct messaging.

Many brands were sceptic about advertising their offerings on social media as they felt it will degrade the credibility of their product. Boy, were they wrong! 

Social media creates a sense of transparency and makes your consumers feel valued as they can take part in your brand's growth.

So, if there are 3.87 billion social media users, why are you not on social media? It's time to adjust your brand strategy and use social media to your advantage to make your brand the bomb dot com!

media update's Jana van der Westhuizen shows you why creating a solid social presence will help your brand to excel.

Here are five reasons why your brand needs social media:

1. Social media builds brand awareness

When you advertise your brand on one or more social media platforms, it allows you to not only sell your products but to tell your story to your audience. 

When you create a content strategy that focuses on connecting with your consumer and telling them more about your brand purpose, you automatically create brand awareness.

Consumers will be aware of what you do and how you do it. It's important to remember that your audience is not a group of robots. If you create a lasting relationship, they will either share your content or talk about your offering, which creates more leads and awareness for your business.

So, build your brand empire in a structured manner on as many social platforms as possible. The more the merrier!

2. They acquire consumer insights

Every brand knows that it is important to have an understanding of who your consumer is and what their needs are. In an ever-changing world, your audiences' preferences will always alternate and it's your job to constantly be aware of what they require from you.

How? Social listening tools like Artificial Intelligence can help you get inside your consumer's head — scary but cool, I know! With the right tools, you can pick up on specific keywords or phrases and then determine the sentiment thereof. 

This then helps you to get insight into what your consumer is thinking and saying about your:
  • brand
  • campaign, or 
  • offering.
If you receive consumer insights, you can tailor your strategy to target the right audience. Easy peasy!

3. They help you to create valuable content

Social media platforms help to identify areas of interest, problems or topics that people struggle to understand. As a brand, you can identify these areas and create content that can fill a gap where there is not enough material for your audience to consume.

For example: If you are a pharmaceutical company, you can create "did you know?" articles. This is where you can educate the general public on certain diseases or topics that are trending, but that there is not sufficient research on.

This will create brand awareness and help to generate thought leadership pieces that connect back to your brand. Remember, content is king!

4. Social selling drives sales

Social media is an integral part of selling your brand. With paid media or lead generation, you are able to turn a social media user into a consumer.

Social selling refers to building relationships through constant brand presence. When prospective consumers constantly see your product, they will be more likely to make their purchasing decision with your brand. The more you advertise, the more leads you will generate.

And with the right leads, you can boost sales! Ching-Ching!

5. They better equip you to manage your reputation

Let's think about this … what is the fastest way to spread information? Social media, of course! So when your plan hits the fan (and believe me it will), your social media platforms are the best way to communicate urgent information.

Whether you want to make a formal statement, correct any error, or simply want to share a new strategy, nothing spreads as fast as a tweet!

So, manage your social media effectively, build a relevant audience for each platform and — when you need it — you can use these mediums to manage your brand and communicate with your consumer.

If your followers have questions, they can always comment on a post or direct message you — which creates a form of an authentic relationship … all on social media — who would have guessed?

Do you make use of social media to expand your brand presence? Share your thoughts about it in the comments section.

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Communicating on social media is always a good idea, but if it is not done in a mindful manner, you may harm your brand image. Want to know more? Then read up on these Three reasons why you need to engage mindfully on social media [Infographic].
*Image courtesy of Canva