Our world has significantly changed over the past few decades and considerably over the past year. One thing that has continued to grow is the use of social media. Currently, it is estimated that each person maintains an average of 7.6 social media accounts each, and the time per person spent on those accounts is an average of 142 minutes daily. That is a lot of time and attention devoted to social media. With so much attention in this area, it is only natural that businesses would use these avenues to attract new and existing customers to their websites. If you have yet to invest in Social Media Marketing, you need to get with the times and here are some of the best ways to attract customers through their social media outlets. 

Content is a Must 

In the world of social media, the more quality content a business can provide to its valued customers, the better. Posting high-quality content on your site sets you apart from other businesses. It allows you to portray actual, usable content for your customers, giving them a reason to come back to your page more often. Useful, helpful articles or videos can help boost your image and maintain your brand in the customer’s mind.  

How often you publish new content is important as well. It is not essential to put out a new piece every day, but a few times each week is all that is necessary. Some businesses post too much leading to an overload of information, while others rarely make any posts making their business look abandoned. It is essential that you find a healthy balance and regularly post content on your site to engage customers.  

Offer Discounts Through Social Media 

Everyone loves a discount, and businesses can have wild success by offering discounts to those in their email system. However, social media can take email marketing to a whole new level. Social media marketing has something other marketing avenues may not have. It has the ability to be shared by countless people in virtually all genres, so when you offer a discount for those that like and share a specific post, but also those who subscribe to your page, your customer reach grows substantially. Give any marketing campaign legs when you couple it effectively with social media marketing.  

Create Buzz Through Humor 

I know business is supposed to be business and devoid of any emotion. Still, humour can take you a long way in our society today, especially in your social media marketing campaign. Yes, it is important to maintain professionalism, but you can still have fun with this. For example, Wendy’s is a well-known burger chain and competes with other fast-food industry companies. They have, on many occasions, taken to social media to poke a little fun at their competition. It is always done in a humorous way and in no way meant to bash their competitor, but these posts have certainly become part of social media's humorous side.  

Humour can take you a long way in social media marketing and help grow your SMB, and no, you do not have to bring your competition into the post to be funny. The above is just one example of how social media can boost a business’s appeal in the public's eye.  

Host Live Events 

One of the more unique aspects of social media is connecting with customers on a real-time basis. However, simply making plenty of posts about your business can still make it feel a little disconnected from customers. Even with comments, likes, shares, and amassing many followers, the human quality of a brick-and-mortar store is quickly fading away. However, social media has come up with a way to bring that human quality back into your business through live streaming options.  

Businesses regularly host live streaming events to introduce new products or services and take live questions from their customers. This form of social media marketing is excellent and largely free. It is also effortless and can be highly effective for a budding business. Even though most online business is done through a computer with very little interaction, people still want to see a company's face. They know it is connected to a real human, and live social media marketing is an excellent way to accomplish this.  

Since 1996, when the first social media site, Bolt, was introduced, people have steadily increased their reliance on this amazing communication form. Today there over 200 social media platforms available, with more being implemented each day. To help grow your business, invest in as many social media avenues as possible and truly be there for your customers. On the heels of Social Media Marketing, we will discuss Content Marketing which can help your social media accounts do more for your SMB.