What Are the Benefits of Using Social Media to a New Business?

What's the most important thing to a new business? After getting off the ground, a business needs customers to survive and thrive. Whether you are selling bicycle parts or providing IT services, patrons will be necessary and because of this, marketing is vital. Not to discount real-world word of mouth, but it can only bring in so much revenue during the early stages of a company. Later, this may be a very strong contributor to your customer base, but it would be a mistake to rely on it alone immediately after the doors have opened.

While cultivating a reliable and loyal set of customers, new businesses should consider using marketing tactics that are both beneficial and inexpensive. Often, these approaches are technology-related and because of this, some business owners freeze up. Some suggest that the Internet and social media are their own forms of word-of-mouth marketing; the difference is that these can be much more helpful for a new business because they spread the word in a more widely-acknowledged and observed form. There is no need to be afraid of technology and, if you really are intimidated by the Internet and social media, you can easily hire someone to help you develop your online presence.

According to Zoomerang, businesses use social media to connect with customers, generate visibility, and promote themselves.

This may mean that you will have accounts with a number of social media outlets including (but not limited to) Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Google Plus. To get the most out of these accounts, a business should work on each of them, developing a comprehensive and similar profile for each. After establishing the accounts, content should be generated on a regular basis for all of them. Whatever that content may be, it should reflect you and your business; it should also be kept fresh. Posting pictures of the work you have done on your Instagram is a great way for customers to remember that your business is run by a person, not by some major corporation that simply wants their money and good profit margins--though you may in fact want their money, you hopefully want to help your customers as individuals too. Posting on Twitter and answering questions that other users may have for you can establish your expertise on the Internet, giving clients the ability to understand your motivation and--again--adding that personal flair to the whole business.

Unfortunately, many business owners discount the value of these channels. In this day and age, refusing to move into the realms of social media and online advertising can be extremely damaging to a new business. Many consumers go to the Internet for answers and if you do not have a website or a Facebook page, potential clients may look elsewhere. While some will still consider you, the majority of consumers are well-connected to the Internet and make a practice of looking into the companies that they may be considering for any number of goods and services. If you want to succeed--especially in an over-saturated market--you should invest in a polished website (for both standard and mobile platforms) and begin developing your virtual brand as soon as possible.