Monday, March 05, 2012

What is Small Business Social Media Marketing?


What Is Small Business Social Media Marketing and How Can It Help My Company?

Small business social media marketing has emerged in recent years as a popular way for independent businesses to promote themselves without the need to spend a lot of money. Unlike traditional marketing methods, social media marketing is less about selling and more about building relationships with customers so that they’ll be more willing to deal with you. These relationships are particularly important for small businesses since winning the trust of leads is vital to converting them to customers.

Key other benefits of small business social media marketing include:
  1. Lower marketing costs compared with traditional marketing and promotion methods.
  2. Using social media marketing is more likely to deliver qualified leads to small businesses by creating a community with their customers.
  3. Small business owners can enjoy results from social media marketing with minimal time commitment. Studies have shown that entrepreneurs who commit a minimum of six hours a week to their social media marketing can already see a measurable increase of traffic to their business site.
What are some of the most popular social media sites used in small business social media marketing?
  1. Facebook. With some 150 million members in the US, creating a Facebook page is not only a great way to tell your customers about your business, but also develop connections with them. In particular, many small businesses have made effective use of the Facebook Wall to leave notices, videos and other content for their fans, as well as allowing customers to post their own content.
  2. Twitter. While more popularly associated with celebrities tweeting the latest updates about their activities and their personal lives, many businesses have also used the microblogging site to introduce new products and services as well as telling customers about upcoming promotions and sales.
  3. Company blogs. Although blogs may seem old-fashioned compared with newer social media sites, they continue to be an effective way for companies to deliver information to their customers. Just as importantly, blogs also allow customers to participate in the conversation by posting in the comments section of blog posts.
One small business social media site you should be aware of, however, is oGoing, an exclusive small business social network. Although a relative newcomer in the social media field, oGoing has already made quite an impact among small businesses looking to connect locally with their customers. And oGoing is deeply integrated with Facebook and Twitter, allowing you to use all three social media sites together as part of an integrated social media marketing strategy. Apart from connecting with existing clients, oGoing is also a great way to find new customers. Check out the fastest growing social network for small business today: Join Now