Gone are the days of radio and billboard ads, commercials and word of mouth as the main venues of public relations and marketing. Social media has become such a cultural force that business owners have to recognize the futility of ignoring this market. Social media can be particularly helpful for businesses that are just beginning and cannot afford more expensive modes of marketing.  

1. Publicity

Social media can be one of the most effective and affordable ways for your company to delegate their own social media. Through sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+, you can add friends and others to like your pages and then receive your posts and tweets. All someone has to do is to see something that sticks out in their feed, and with one click, you have a new potential customer.

2. Customer Interface 

Social media is extremely beneficial in deciphering the demographic that your product or service reaches. You can see who is liking your page or re-tweeting you and learn what type of audience you are marketing to. Is this your target audience? If not, what is it about your company or social media strategy that you need to change?

3. Support and Thank You 

Social media can help build valuable relationships with customers and other supporters. You can use your social media profiles to give away gifts, offers, discounts, promotions or just as a way to say thank you to your supporters. Companies that respond directly to a disgruntled or excited customer can help strengthen those relationships as well as show to potential customers the degree of concern you show for your customers or fans.

4. Blogging 

Showcasing your blog on social media websites can increase the traffic on your site. More time spent on your site can lead to more product sold and increased customer knowledge of your business. Blogging also gives more opportunity for you to create content on search engines that relays customers to your site.

5. Forums

Letting your customers know that you have forum can help create even better product or services. Forums give you as the owner an opportunity to find out what the discussion is concerning your business, any suggestions or changes that  need to be made, as well as new networking opportunities that you would not have been able to find without social media.

This article was written by M.G. Bachemin in association with Online Optimism, a social media marketing company based in New Orleans.