Improve the marketing of your business

You can expand the reach and marketing effectiveness of your website by linking it with social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Instagram.

Using social media services allows your business to dramatically expand its’ interaction with customers and potential customers through the creation and sharing of digital marketing content.

Businesses of all sizes can take advantage of the significant marketing opportunities available through the linking of social media to the business’ website. All marketing and sales activities can easily be expanded and some key ones are listed below:

• Increased promotion of your business, your brand and your position in the market
• Increased information about the goods and services you are offering
• Increased and more direct feedback from customers
• Increased ability to attract new customers through an additional marketing channel
• Increased ability to respond more quickly to customers and to build customer satisfaction.

A well designed website driven by an effective SEO strategy can additionally be boosted by linking it with social media. This is because of social media marketing’s many benefits.

Social media marketing benefits

• Social media has a broad reach and can reach many customers all around the world;
• Many forms of social media serve different target groups which allows businesses to target those specific groups, who are often in particular locations
• Using social media marketing is either free or very low-cost, especially when compared to the cost of other non-digital marketing channels
• Using social media allows businesses to easily communicate on a personal basis with individual customers as well as with groups of customers
• As the market and individual customer needs change social media allows a business to respond to them very quickly and with little lead-time in preparation of documents etc
• Using social media marketing does not require high-level computing skills and is easy to learn and use.

The main risk associated with the use of social media marketing is that if incorrect information is accidentally posted by the business or if someone posts a negative review, then that information will be spread rapidly the same way as positive information will. The business should have plans in place to prevent negative information occurring.

Key social media services

The key social media sites meet different customer needs and can be used in different ways by businesses to engage with their own customers. For example:

• Facebook – allows you to have conversations with customers, post photos and videos, promote special offers, and more
• Twitter – allows you to send and receive short messages from customers and potential customers
• Youtube- an online video-hosting service that lets people share videos that can be used for the introduction of new products and for showing how to use your products
• Blog – topics of interest to customers can be posted on the business’ website to convey product and promotional information

Getting started with social media

AMCD will build the links between your website and social media sites and provide training in their use. It is important that your website and your use of social media are consistent with your business’ marketing plan, target market and chosen position in the market. AMCD can also provide that marketing analysis if required.