Growing Your Online Business with Social Media

You’re working and working but you seem to be failing at growing your online business. What does it take? What are the best ways to guarantee you can be successful in growing your online business? We wish it was a simple answer but we’d be lying to you if we said it was.

There is however a power tool you can use to grow your online business, and that’s social media.

All eyes are on social media today and this trend isn’t slowing down. In this age of digital dominance, we’re all being drawn to our screens, whether big or small. And within those screens, lies a treasure trove of opportunities for your brand’s exposure and customer engagement. If navigated skillfully, social media can turn into a powerful instrument for leveraging your brand’s presence and deepening your engagement with customers. But how exactly do we tap into this potential?

Before we dive in, let’s capture the essence of what ‘brand exposure’ means. It refers to the extent to which a brand is visible to its potential consumers. It’s about making your brand known, increasing its presence, and making sure it’s at the front of people’s minds when they’re making a decision.

Brand exposure is not merely about visibility – it’s about making your brand known and consistently being remembered. It’s being at the right place, at the right time, in front of the right audience.

Fantastic! Now, armed with an understanding of what brand exposure truly signifies, let’s look at five key ways social media aids in providing this exposure and boosts customer engagement for the ultimate goal of growing your online business:

• Constant Interaction
• Instant Feedback
• Useful Insights
• Targeted Advertising
• Brand Personality

Throughout this article, we’ll address each of these points, diving into the nuances and exploring examples of how brands around the world are cashing in on them. So, buckle up and get ready to redefine your brand’s social media strategy!

Over 3.6 billion people were using social media worldwide in 2020, projected to increase to almost 4.41 billion in 2025.

Constant interaction is a crucial facet of brand interaction and growing your online business.

As you steer your brand through the myriad landscapes of social media, it’s that steady stream of engagement with your audience that brings your efforts to life. Not only does it simply show that your brand’s social media activity is far from a stagnant display, but it also fosters a sense of community among your followers.

The real magic happens when engagement turns into a two-way dialogue. From replying to comments and sharing user-generated content to conducting polls or asking for feedback, every interaction strengthens the relationship between your brand and its followers. This constant interaction becomes a powerful conduit of customer engagement, transforming your brand from being a mere entity into a lively and engaging personality.

Powerful brands such as Apple and Starbucks are classic examples of this approach. They’ve mastered the art of conversation by constantly engaging and responding to their customers on platforms like Threads and Instagram.

They may be big names, but the principle applies to brands of all sizes. So, remember, when you’re scrolling through your brand’s social media feeds, don’t just look at it as a broadcast channel. See it as a platform for dialogue, a chance to hear what your customers are saying, and a golden opportunity to respond. That’s the real power of constant interaction on social media.

71% of consumers who have had a positive experience with a brand on social media are likely to recommend the brand to their friends and family.

As your brand gets into a serious tête-à-tête with customers on social platforms, it opens fresh avenues for instant feedback, and there’s nothing quite like it.

Why, you’d ask? Well, ‘instant feedback’ is not just another buzzword; it’s a game-changer, my friend. The lightning-fast response time on social media channels empowers a brand to address customer inquiries, complaints, praises, or ideas swiftly. It’s real-time, it’s engaging, and it’s public, allowing your brand to showcase its dedication towards customer satisfaction.

This also allows you to understand if your actions are truly growing your online business.

So, each time a customer puts forth a query, complaint, or just a genial thumbs-up, remember, it’s an open invitation for your brand to respond. An immediate, meaningful response not only solves an individual problem but also allows other followers to see your brand’s proactive customer service. This fuels the image of your brand as responsive and caring – a big win in the customer engagement game.

Moreover, each feedback received is a doorway to understanding your customers’ needs, preferences, and expectations better. Use this to align your product updates or services more accurately with your customers’ requirements, eventually leveling up your brand’s relevance and driving growth. So, here’s a toast to forging relationships and building brands through instant feedback on social media!

73% of marketers believe that their efforts through social media marketing have been ‘somewhat effective’ or ‘very effective’ for their business.

Imagine being able to peek inside the minds of your target audience and understand what truly resonates with them. This is the advantage that social media brings to your brand. Through these platforms, you can glean valuable insights into the preferences, behaviors, and attitudes of your existing and potential customers.

Every comment, share, like, or click recorded on your social posts can be carefully analyzed and interpreted to guide your future marketing decisions. Decisions that you again help you to take the right actions for growing your online business.

This treasure trove of data can reveal patterns and trends that might otherwise remain hidden. Are your followers responsive to polls and contests? Or do they prefer educational content and industry news? On which days and times are your posts getting the most engagement?

By methodically examining these pieces of information, you can tailor your online presence to better align with your audience’s needs and interests. As a result, you can craft a more personalized and effective marketing strategy that boosts your brand’s visibility, credibility, and overall impact.

Thus, never underestimate the power of these insights. Instead, employ them strategically to keep your finger on the pulse of your audience, anticipate their needs, and adapt your approach accordingly. And remember, the beauty of social media is that it’s a two-way street: it’s not just about you broadcasting your message, but also about listening to and learning from your audience in real-time.

90.4% of Millennials, 77.5% of Generation X, and 48.2% of Baby Boomers are active social media users.

Sure, getting the word out about your brand is only half the battle. Let’s introduce a new section:

The core advantage of social media lies in its precise targeting abilities. You’re not yelling into a void; instead, you’re talking directly to the people who matter most to your business. And, that’s the magic of Targeted Advertising.

Using this functionality, you can shape your promotional content so that it aligns perfectly with the needs, preferences, and behaviors of your prospective customers. Imagine tailoring your message based on age group, region, interests, and even online behavior. It’s like addressing a group of people in a room but whispering the right information into the right ear.

The result? Reduced advertising waste, optimized marketing spending, a higher chance of converting leads, and ultimately growing your online business.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn have intricate algorithms and analytics to make this level of precision possible. Remember though, careful strategy and deliberate testing are key to refining your targeting for the best results.

So, harness the power of social media to make your brand conversations more personally engaging and strategically rewarding with targeted advertising. It’s about building a bridge between your brand and the consumer, one personalized promotion at a time.

Social media ad spending reached $89 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $102 billion by 2024.