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No matter where you stand with regards to computers – you long for the days of handwritten letters or you can’t wait for our society to go full-on Jetsons – there’s one thing that’s certain: technology is here to stay.
It isn’t only certain generations that are onto this, either – Macintosh is in no way limited to millennials. In fact, per Pew Research, 65 percent of adults of all ages use social networking sites. These numbers are a dramatic increase from a 2005 survey that found only seven percent of adults logging on.
With so many people turning toward the Internet to find goods and services, businesses must have an online presence in order to stay competitive. A website and an email address are no longer enough: you must take to social media in order to take yourself to the next level.
There are many benefits to this, of course. Some perks are obvious and some are a little more along the lines of, “Oh, I didn’t think of that.” But, overall, online reputation management through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and similar outlets allows your company to do the following:
Increase recognition of your brand: From the Golden Arches to Mickey Mouse ears, some brands have recognition down to a science. And many did it without social media. Yet, in today’s world, social media is where the masses turn for just about everything. As a business owner, this type of marketing provides you with a platform upon which to hone your voice, syndicate your content, and make a name for yourself.
Become accessible to customers: According to Forbes, US businesses lose 62 billion dollars each year because of poor customer service….62 billion and counting (in 2013, businesses lost around 40 billion). It’s simple: people who have bad experiences don’t come back for more. Social media doesn’t eliminate poor customer service altogether, but it does make you more accessible to people. Gone are the days of the disgruntled consumer dialing a call center or writing a letter to air a complaint: more people go online and go directly to the source. This kind of transparency gives you the chance to address problems quickly and effectively, something that keeps your customers from running into the open arms of your competition.
Increase loyalty: A study published by Texas Tech University found companies that engage with their customers on social media experience more loyalty from those customers. This leads to higher conversion rates, too: a strong online presence humanizes you, which is important – most people would rather do business with other people instead of machines.
Speak their language: There’s a reason Nancy the Time Life Operator is no longer employed: the telephone is so 20th century. Some people don’t like to talk on the phone because they’re introverts. Others see it as a convenience thing: you can post a message in the middle of the night or anytime you want, but you can only call during specified times. Whatever the reason, social media allows you to speak your customer’s language. When you do that, people listen.
Your online reputation is a vital part of your company’s success. It broadens the ability to communicate with current customers while finding new ones. And it’s not something you have to do alone. Contact us to see how we can turn you from an Internet wallflower to a social media butterfly.