In today’s blog, we’ll be looking at why social media is the key to business growth. Like, there are plenty of other means and ways to grow a business, so why is social media so important?
10 or more years ago, social media was just a way we would connect with friends. It was purely used as a forum to interact with people you know, people you no longer know, and people you would like to get to know.
Now, social media is one of the most popular domains for businesses to target and interact with their target audience. If, just for a minute, you looked away from this blog and scrolled on your Instagram, there’s almost certainty that more than 50% of the posts you come across are from business profiles or ads.
So, why this shift? Why are businesses flocking to promote their services or products on social media? Well, that’s what we’re here to work out.
If you’re a business owner who has attempted to ignore the power of social media, you may want to think again. Yes, it can be time-consuming and take up more resources, but the payoff is, evidently, worthwhile.
Without further ado, let’s get to the bottom of why social media is the key to business growth…
A Brief History Of Businesses Using Social Media To Capitalise On Growth
Early 2000s – The Rise Of Social Media
Social media gain momentum as an everyday tool. Many of the platforms we know and love today were first launched, namely LinkedIn (2003), Facebook (2004), and Twitter (now X, but seriously who is calling it that) (2006).
Businesses began using social media passively, as a way to interact with customers, but are not yet using it to actively drive sales.
2010-2015 – Social Media As A Tool For Growth
A major shift in how businesses were operating on social media happened. Instead of just being an engagement tool, businesses were now advertising themselves on social media.
- Facebook Ads (2007, but widely adopted in the 2010s) – Businesses could directly target their audience, based on interests, demographics, and behaviours.
- Instagram (2010) – Brands began to leverage high-quality visual media, with a major focus on aesthetics, boosted by influencer marketing.
- Twitter’s Role in Customer Engagement – Businesses would take part in trends, interact with customers in real-time, responding to queries and complaints.
- LinkedIn for B2B Marketing – Professionals and businesses use LinkedIn for networking, recruitment, and lead generation.
2016-Present – The E-Commerce Boom
Influencer marketing began to change the game for businesses and became a key strategy for brands to boost sales. Marketing products inherited the format of viral trends, which became a fast and effective way to reach audiences.
TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and other apps also established shoppable posts and their own unique marketplaces, allowing businesses to sell directly through social media. To put the impact of this into perspective, nowadays, even supermarkets are selling on TikTok shop…
Why Social Media Is The Key To Business Growth?
Now you’re caught up to speed, let’s address why social media is the key to business growth.
Here at GrowTraffic, we have seen firsthand and implemented social media strategies that have transformed the scale of businesses. Just take a look at our JUNIORJONES case study for proof of the matter.
Unmatched Audience Reach
Did you know that over half the population is on social media? Over 5 billion people have social media accounts across multiple platforms. It’s almost difficult to fathom.
Now, that’s not to say your brand will reach those 5 million people, as there is a LOT of competition to contend with. However, it is likely that a well-orchestrated social media campaign will attract better engagement than more traditional marketing avenues (which is something we can help you with).
Cost-Effective
Making an account and posting ads on social media is free. Albeit it may take up some resources, as someone needs to actually run the account, and as we know, people and time cost money. But in theory, it’s free.
By posting consistently, it is guaranteed you will increase your reach. When you then start to integrate ads, you can limit spending to a realistic budget for your business and closely track performance. Businesses that do this successfully have experienced a significant return on investment.
Enhanced Brand Awareness
Spreading the word of your business, what you’re up to day-to-day, what new products are launching, upcoming events, etc. is an effective way to boost your credibility and brand awareness.
Brands have been known to build online communities for their consumers, where like-minded individuals can share their thoughts on a product, engage with the brand, and connect.
The more profiles for your business, the easier it is to validate your business’s existence. When it comes to boosting online visibility, social media profiles are recognised as a ‘trust signal’, which is an important ranking factor.
Social Media Management From GrowTraffic: The Key To Business Growth
To get to the bottom of why social media is the key to business growth, we’ve looked at the history of the apps and how businesses have leveraged the platform to drive sales. It is clear, that having a social media presence in modern times is a no-brainer when growing your business.
But to be successful on the platform, it’s not that easy. It takes consistency, an in-depth understanding of your audience, keeping on top of trends (or even being a trend setter), and mastering multi-media.
GrowTraffic offers a range of social media management services. Whether you would prefer for us to fully manage your social media or refine your content, we are here to help.
With our talented social media managers, you can expect to see an increase in engagement, click-through rate and enquiries.
If you have any questions about how to make the most out of social media for your business or would like to enquire about our services, please contact our team today. You can email us at info@growtraffic.co.uk or call us on 0161 706 0012.
