Although social media has been around for a decade or more, many businesses – particularly smaller ones – have yet to start using it seriously. Often, it’s because they’re not sure how to do it, don’t know if it’s cost-effective or feel they simply don’t have the time. If this sounds like you, or you’re just undecided if it’s for you, this blog might help make your mind up.

Social media is how people communicate nowadays

The chances are your customers will be on at least one of the big social media platforms, so it makes sense to join them. You can feed them regular information about your business, talk to them about things they’re interested in and even use it for customer service. And it can be quicker (and cheaper) than emailing or calling.

There’s lots of platforms to choose from

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram are probably the platforms that spring to mind when you think about social media. They’re the most popular for sure, but other platforms like YouTube, Pinterest and Snapchat are worth considering too. You can tailor your content for each one and the different audiences they bring. Facebook and YouTube, for example, are good for online ads and visual content, while LinkedIn is perfect for something more in-depth and long form.

Just about any type of business can do it

Whatever line of work you’re in, social media can work as a way of marketing. As we mentioned earlier, it’s where lots of your customers will be and they’ll expect you to be there too in some shape or form. They’ll more than likely follow you if they like what you do, so don’t disappoint them even if you think your particular niche doesn’t seem to be an obvious fit for social media.

Its reach is amazingly wide

The online world is a lot smaller than the actual one, so it’s much easier to get your message across to a wider audience than ever before. Create engaging content people want to see and they’ll share it, no matter where they are in the world. Time zones and physical distances mean nothing on social media.

It’s inexpensive too

Most social media platforms are free to set up and use. Some charge for business use and add-ons might cost a little extra, but they’re usually cheaper than other forms of marketing. And with little or no set-up costs, the return on investment will clearly be high too.

It does take time and effort to do properly though

As with most things in business, social media marketing needs hard work and organisation to be effective. The biggest challenge for a busy small business owner is finding the time to post regularly. It’s important to do this though, even if it’s just setting aside some time in the evening to do it. Another option could be to hand this responsibility over to someone else in your business to look after, or even contract an agency or freelancer to do it.

So, now you’ve seen the benefits social media can bring to your business, maybe it’s time to dip your toe in the water and take advantage of them for yourself.