According to the latest statistics, approximately 55.8% of the global population is active on the internet and more than 82% of this population is using social media which means more than 45% of the world population is using social media.
Now the question is what is the significance of the above data, and why I'm putting this data next to you? To understand the importance of the above statistics you need to understand the impact of social media marketing on sales growth.
According to a survey by Social Media Examiner, 73% of businesses have reported increased sales after implementing social media marketing. Furthermore, a study by Hootsuite found that 90% of businesses that use social media to promote their products or services saw an increase in their brand exposure, while 66% saw an increase in their leads and sales.
Impact of Social Media Marketing on Sales
Before jumping to start social media marketing it is important to understand is that real social media marketing is effective to increase sales or not because in social media marketing investment and time are involved and it may cause losses so first let's understand how effective social media marketing is.
The possibility of sales growth percentage by using social media marketing can vary depending on various factors, such as the industry, marketing strategy, target audience, competition, budget, and many other factors.
In a recent survey by a reputed group of Social Media Examiners, 74% of businesses have reported increased sales after implementing social media marketing. A recent Hootsuite (a reputed social media management platform) research paper states that 90% of businesses that use social media to promote their products or services saw an increase in their brand exposure, while 66% saw an increase in their leads and sales. Now let's explore the top 10 reasons why you need social media marketing in the 21st century for a successful business.
1. Increased Brand Awareness
Becoming a brand is like developing a guarantee for a long terms successful business. Social media marketing is the best way to promote your brand and this is why businesses need social media marketing to increase brand awareness. By creating social media profiles and regularly posting relevant and engaging content, businesses can reach a wider audience and build their brand. Social media platforms allow businesses to connect with their target audience and build relationships with their followers.
2. Cost-Effective Marketing
Social media marketing is more than 50% cheaper than the traditional marketing strategy. With the help of some tools and data analysis, we can easily identify our targeted audience. Once the targeted audience gets identified then we need to expense for only promoting business/products with them so there is no extra expense.
3. Targeted Advertising
Social media platforms offer businesses targeted advertising options. Businesses can target their ads based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and other factors. This allows businesses to reach their ideal customer and maximize their advertising budget.
4. Better Customer Engagement
Social media platforms allow businesses to engage with their customers in real-time. Customers can ask questions, provide feedback, and share their experiences with businesses on social media. Businesses can use social media to respond to customer inquiries, address customer concerns, and provide excellent customer service.
5. Better Customer Insights
Social media can provide businesses with valuable insights into their customers. By analyzing social media data, businesses can learn more about their customer's preferences, behaviors, and interests. This can help businesses to improve their products and services and create more targeted marketing campaigns.
6. Global Reach
Social media marketing offers boundary-less marketing and provides us with the opportunity for global business exposure which is not easy with traditional marketing strategy. if you are going for paid social media marketing, nowadays most of social media platforms offer you the option to select the geo-location where you want to promote your business with the targeted audience. For example, if you are setting in the USA and want to promote your business or product in India then you can easily do it with the help of social media marketing.
7. Competitive Advantage
Social media can provide businesses with a competitive advantage. By having a strong social media presence, businesses can differentiate themselves from their competitors and reach a wider audience. Social media also allows businesses to keep an eye on their competitors and stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices.
8. Increased Website Traffic
Social media can also drive traffic to a business's website. By posting high-quality images, and video content and linking them to their websites businesses can direct their followers to their websites and increase their website traffic. Social media platforms thus play a vital role in driving huge potential traffic to their website and ultimately leading to a high conversion rate. Businesses can make the most of it by making video content as videos have the best engagement compared to other types of content but need to make sure to edit videos online using the right tools before making the video public.
9. Improved Search Engine Rankings
Social media can also help businesses to improve their search engine rankings. By regularly posting relevant and engaging content on social media platforms, businesses can drive traffic to their website, improve their website's search engine optimization (SEO), and increase their visibility online. Social media signals are also a ranking factor in search engine algorithms.
10. Increased Sales and Revenue
Social media marketing can lead to increased sales and revenue for businesses. By building a strong social media presence and engaging with their customers, businesses can build trust and loyalty, which can lead to increased sales and repeat business. Social media can also drive traffic to a business's website, which can lead to increased sales and revenue.
Conclusion
Most of the research and reviews show that social media marketing can be very effective if it is implemented efficiently with the right tools. Overall, while there is no guarantee of sales growth percentage, social media marketing can be a highly effective way to drive business growth and increase sales.