7 Benefits of Social Media Marketing for Consumers You Need to Know About

Benefits of Social Media Marketing For Consumers
How Does Social Media Marketing Work
7 Benefits of Social Media Marketing
How Emeritus Can Boost Your Social Media Marketing Career

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Connect, engage and promote: Social media marketing does it all. And those are among the benefits of social media marketing for consumers. According to Sproutsocial, 55% of consumers learn about new companies and brands through social media. A strong social media presence enables consumer engagement and can do wonders in building customer loyalty. Today, it is essential for both new and established businesses to have an optimized social media strategy. This is because there has been a massive shift in how consumers perceive brands and the factors that drive purchase decisions. Having seen the increasing use of these new-age platforms to promote content, let’s understand the benefits of social media marketing for consumers.

Social media marketing has taken the digital landscape by storm. In 2021, social media advertisements had a worldwide revenue of $153 billion, projected to reach $252 billion by 2026, according to Statista. This is why social media advertising is the second-largest market in digital advertisements. Today, the role of social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, goes beyond the sharing of images or posts. As a result, both online and offline businesses try to leverage the power of social media in myriad ways.

According to a study by Forbes, two-thirds of shoppers use social media to make purchase-related decisions. In fact, this same study also looked into shopping preferences across Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z and found that 77% of Millennials and Gen Z use social media for shopping.

Besides offering a glimpse into brand personality, social media marketing allows consumers to directly engage with the brand, leave feedback, compare competitor brands easily, get quick access to global brands, among other uses. Before we take a look at more benefits of social media marketing for consumers, let us understand how social media marketing works.

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Digital transformation has become imperative for businesses across industries, thanks to the rise of e-commerce and the omnipresence of social media. Given the extensive reach of social media, marketers cannot overlook how effective social media marketing is in connecting a brand with its target audience. Here is a four-step guide on how social media marketing actually works.

Step 1: Market Research

The first step is to collect relevant data by conducting market research for an in-depth insight into current trends, customer demands, market conditions, and so on.

Step 2: Discover Opportunities

After research, identify the right opportunities regarding how to connect with the target audience, generate useful leads and provide customer support.

Step 3: Formulate Strategies

Get clarity on business objectives and develop a clear social media marketing content strategy that works best to achieve those business goals.

Step 4: Review and Report

Social media marketing results in real-time reviews and instant feedback. Take these reviews into consideration and improvise the content marketing strategy in order to make better-informed decisions.

Now that we know how to develop an effective social media marketing plan, let’s explore some of the main benefits of social media marketing for consumers.

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A good social media marketing strategy requires a combination of strategic thinking and creative solutions. Social networks are now a significant consideration in most marketing plans, as they are a relatively cost-effective tool that can generate immense exposure for businesses. The goal is to target the social media marketing material towards meeting consumer needs, promoting brand recognition, and increasing inbound traffic toward the brands’ website or application.

Here are the top seven benefits of social media marketing for consumers.

1. Current Trends

The one thing that is constant in both the real and digital world is that it is always changing. New trends, products, brands, and services are being introduced on a daily basis, which can often be hard to keep up with. In such a rapidly changing world, there needs to be an efficient way in which customers can stay on top of this change. Content on social media is a great way for consumers to access engaging and relevant information that helps them stay up-to-date. When consumers are armed with the latest information, it can help them make informed purchase decisions.

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2. Convenience and Quick Service

In a world that is driven by content, the key is to ensure that this material can be accessed with ease. When consumers have quick access to relevant information, it simplifies their purchase decision. In fact, this is where social media marketing plays a significant role. For example, if a consumer notices a post about a product that interests them, they can access the brand page and purchase the product at their convenience.

3. 24/7 Access

While offices have a concept of weekends and holidays, social media has no off days. People have complete access to information regardless of the day or time. So if they want to know more about a product or service, they have 24/7 access to the brand’s social media profiles to get all the information they need.

4. Personalized Experience

One of the many benefits of social media marketing for consumers is the concept of a personalized experience. What this essentially means is that a business with a good social media strategy will be able to focus on their target audience based on relevant factors including demographics, shopping patterns, and interests. This results in consumers only seeing posts that align with their interests. Such personalized experiences increase the likelihood of engagement and eventually lead to more conversions.

5. Market Insights

Social media marketing enables people to find information regarding different businesses within their field of interest. It allows consumers to explore different products, services, and brands within a wider marketplace. Moreover, it is particularly beneficial for brands as it offers insights into branding, industry trends and competitor activities.

6. Quality Content

Social media marketing is a great way for products and services to engage better and deeper with target audiences by generating quality content. It helps consumers be more informed and engage with the brand for longer.

7. Clear Product Information

With the advent of the internet, consumers have become far more informed than before. An in-store visit can give them information on the product that may be limited to the product label. Meanwhile, social media posts can offer more details to help consumers make better purchase decisions.

Social media marketing can be leveraged to understand consumer interests, engage with them on a personal level and gradually convert them to loyal customers of the brand. As is evident, there are multiple benefits of social media marketing for consumers and businesses. If you want to build your career in this field, explore the digital marketing online courses offered by globally renowned universities in collaboration with Emeritus and equip yourself with the right skills to step into this new emerging world of social media marketing.

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