8 Benefits of Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses

A decade or two ago, being on social media marketing was pretty optional for small businesses—nowadays, that’s not the case. If local businesses want to connect with customers, having a social media presence is non-negotiable. 

What is Social Media Marketing? 

Social media marketing refers to promoting a brand, product, or service on a social media platform like Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc. Social media marketing content can come in many forms—from images to videos and everything in between. The best part is, organic social media marketing is totally free. Using this marketing method is an excellent way for businesses with small budgets to grow. 

8 Benefits of Social Media Marketing

You’ve probably heard from many sources that it’s important for small businesses to show up on social media. But have you ever stopped to think about why social media is such a game-changer? If not, we’ve got you covered. Let’s talk about some of the benefits of social media. 

1. Social Media Marketing Increases Brand Awareness 

People can’t buy from you if they don’t know you exist. But how do you spread the word about your brand without breaking the bank? How do you differentiate your business and win attention in a world full of competition? How do you make sure you’re getting the right eyes on your products and services rather than wasting energy advertising to people who don’t care? You guessed it—social media. 

Over 4.26 billion people worldwide use social media—it’s basically guaranteed that your target customer is already scrolling daily. By posting consistently on social media, you could reach people that may have never heard of your business otherwise. And once those people decide to follow you, you have a free way to market directly to them. They get interesting content, you get a free way to insert your brand into their day-to-day—everyone wins.  

2. A Social Media Presence Builds Credibility 

Most businesses (one study estimates over 90% of businesses) have a social media presence nowadays. Customers have grown to expect it. 

We’re not saying you need to show up on every platform—that would likely be a waste of time, energy, and resources. What we are saying is that if you don’t show up anywhere on social media, potential customers might see it as a yellow flag. People might assume that you’ve shut down or never existed in the first place. Even putting a minimal amount of effort into getting a social media profile up and running can help build credibility, but keep in mind that the more consistently you post, the more trust you will build. Responding to DMs and comments you get on your profiles will help build that trust, too. 

3. Social Media Boosts Your Content Marketing Efforts 

Many businesses struggle with the content creation aspect of social media—they know how to get a profile set up but they wonder what to post. We’ll let you in on a little secret: not everything you post on social media needs to be completely new. Social media is a great place to promote all of the cool content you’re already creating. 

You can post links to blogs and eBooks you’ve recently published, repurpose topics you’re already writing about (think: make a carousel post for Instagram based on a post from your blog), and encourage your followers to check you out on other platforms.  

4. Social Media Marketing Drives Web Traffic 

Social media marketing—both organic and paid—can help drive more people to your website which can result in more sales for your business. It won’t happen overnight, but with consistent effort, it will happen. Here are some ways you can use your social channels to drive traffic: 

• Use social proof to drive purchase decisions.
• Link to your website or other pieces of existing content (like eBooks).
• Make posts shareable to increase visibility and drive more clicks.
• Include referral links in your bio.

Make sure your customers make it to a website worth visiting. Check out our Guide to Local Business Websites. 

5. Social Media Helps You Build a Community

The modern customer craves community, and social media is the perfect place to build one. Brands have a massive opportunity to capitalize on this craving for community. A Spotify study found 62% of gen Z and millennials believe brands have the power to create communities based on common interests and passions. 

So how, exactly, do you do that? Take a lesson from a brand that is already doing it— Gymshark. They managed to build a billion-dollar business with the help of influencer marketing. Their influencer campaigns helped spread the word about their brand to fitness lovers across the globe. Those-like minded people now form a Gymshark-obsessed Instagram community of almost 6 million followers. 

6. Social Media Keeps Your Business Top-of-Mind 

The average person spends roughly 2.5 hours on social media every day. While they’re scrolling, does your brand flash past their fingertips? 

If you’ve never heard of the rule of 7, it’s a theory that states that a person typically won’t buy a product until they’ve seen it 7 times. This isn’t a hard and fast science, but it’s true that if someone repeatedly views content about your product or service they’ll be more likely to buy it. Social media presents an easy way for you to get your business in front of the eyes of your target customers.

By showing up consistently in the places your target audience spends time, you keep your business fresh in their minds and move them closer and closer to the finish line—a sale. 

7. Social Media Keeps Existing Customers Engaged 

Attention spans are shorter than ever, but social media can help keep your customers engaged with your brand long after they make a purchase. And that engagement can lead to repeat sales. 

Most people engage with content on social media every day—it’s built into their normal routine—which means your customers don’t have to go out of their way to engage with your brand online. It requires minimal effort on their end. You just have to make content worth engaging with. 

One way you can encourage customer engagement is to create a hashtag that your followers can use when they talk about your products or services online. You can add that hashtag to cards inside the packages you ship, put it on the bottom of receipts, or display it around your store and on your website.  

8. Social Media Can Improve the Customer Experience 

Last, but certainly not least, social media helps you improve the customer experience because it: 

• Makes you easier to reach—the more ways your customers can contact you, the better. 
• Allows you to educate your target audience about what you offer.
• Presents an easy way for your employees to answer questions without having to spend time on a phone call—say hello to better response times. 

Improve Your Online Presence with Podium

Social media is just one part of a bigger equation. Today, winning business requires a solid online presence. That’s where Podium comes in. Podium offers a suite of small business tools that help businesses connect with their customers, streamline their processes, and grow. Interested? Start a free 14-day trial today.

Ready to dive into the world of digital marketing? Check out the Digital Marketing Guide we put together with our friends at HubSpot and SimilarWeb.