To be successful in this highly competitive world, businesses need a solid digital marketing strategy and a strong understanding of the benefits of social media presence. While everything was already migrating online, the pandemic has reinforced this plan. As a result, social media has become one of the most powerful tools companies can use to connect with their audience and target specific customer groups. However, social media also comes with some inherent dangers.

2020 was a banner year for cybercriminals. The pandemic brought with it a slew of new hacker groups waging war on the public through cyberattacks, phishing campaigns, ransomware attacks, data breaches, and spam. Unfortunately, cybercriminals use social media often to trick unsuspecting victims. Thankfully, there is a way to avoid getting scammed: an email address lookup verifying the sender’s identity and protecting against fraud.

Statistics of Increased Use of Social Media

According to data from Pew Research, approximately 72% of Americans use some type of social media, compared to only 5% when social media platforms began to develop in 2005. What’s more, 3.6 billion people all over the world use social media. Most users spend roughly 144 minutes per day on social media channels. Some other interesting statistics regarding the use of social media include:

• 57% of consumers follow brands to learn more about their products and services.
• 91% of consumers will engage with the brand after following them on social media (visit their website, recommend them to a family member or friend, or purchase products/services).
• 68% of buyers prefer brand content to be images rather than text.
• 49% of consumers will purchase a product after seeing a brands ad on social media.

Although Facebook is still the most commonly used social platform, other platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn are not far behind. Social media is where the conversation is taking place, and most consumer decisions are based on connections, referrals, and discussions on these platforms.

These staggering figures speak for themselves. Businesses cannot ignore the powerful attraction of social media. If used properly, marketers can turn social media into a customer conversion machine.

5 Benefits of Social Media in Digital Marketing

There are numerous benefits to integrating social media into a company’s digital marketing plan. The top five include:

1. Increased Online Presence

As the statistics suggest, most people who find a brand on social media will seek further engagement by visiting the company’s website, making a purchase, or recommending the brand to a friend or family member. Thus, making social media a go-to source for product information and drives significant traffic to their website.

2. Better SEO Rankings

SEO is a constantly moving target. Nowadays, a company cannot just have an optimized website to attract visitors. Brands must also have a healthy social media presence with links to landing pages for successful SEO. High-quality social media content provides credibility for the brand and instills trust in its customer base, while SEO on these social media posts have their own place in an overall SEO strategy.

3. Raise Customer Awareness/Engagement Through Rich Content

Even top brands can use social media to increase visibility and interact with customers on a personal level. Research has shown that brands that interact deeply with their audience can increase customer satisfaction. Providing quality content is key to getting customers’ attention and keeping it.

4. Improve Brand Loyalty

Another important benefit of using social media in digital marketing is to increase brand loyalty. If customers have a difficult finding a company, they will go elsewhere. A strong social media presence will help customers find and connect easily with the brand, building loyalty, and trust. Customers tend to trust brands they see frequently. Hence, social media marketing should be a top priority for all brands.

5. Save Time and Money

Social media marketing saves a lot of time and money over traditional types of advertising. Some experts believe it is the most cost-effective way to reach consumers and attract repeat customers. Marketers can set up social media accounts for free and post quality content within minutes at no extra cost. The value of social media marketing is priceless.

The key takeaway here is that customers are already using social media. Companies don’t have to do anything extra except meet them where they are. Social media has become one of the most effective ways to attract viewers, interact with consumers, build trust and loyalty, and convert visitors to customers. This is why social media is no longer considered to be on probation, but instead an important role in businesses success.

About Millennium Agency

Millennium Agency is a nationally recognized, leading woman led B2B brand, message positioning and digital marketing agency who knows how to create value that emotionally influences your customers’ buying decisions, without being the lowest-price solution – giving you the competitive advantage. As your trusted partner in B2B software technology and manufacturing, we provide the brand and positioning framework that make an impact – so you can focus on what you do best – run your business successfully. Our process is proven, and we have the stats to share. To learn more about Millennium Agency, call 877.873.7445 or visit www.mill.agency.