"All aboard the wagon."

- Steve Neville

Many, including myself, have spoken of the widely reported benefits to social media and the immediate advantages your business can receive over the competition by beginning even the simplest of social media campaigns. But if the prospects of increased company visibility, 24/7 access to consumers, and cost-effective advertising campaigns are not enough to persuade your company to create a social media presence, then check out these three little-known benefits to social media you may not know about.

1. Social Media Can Increase SEO (Search Engine Optimization):

A website is great for getting your business’ name where you want it on Google. For instance, a website gives you the power to control content and structure how people find you on search engines. But, if you are just starting out, your website may not be getting the page views necessary to reach the  coveted front page of search engines. Google relies heavily on web traffic and sites “linking in,” or referencing your website, when considering the reliability and ranking of your page. Factors that take time and effort to build towards, and don’t just appear by building a website.

Thus, potential customers looking for whatever your selling may never even find out about your site in the crucial beginning stages of your business.

But that’s where Facebook and Twitter can help. Facebook currently handles 25% of the world’s Internet traffic on any given day, and Twitter isn’t far behind. What that means is, because of the high volume of traffic and sites “linking in” to these social media platforms, any content attached to Facebook and Twitter (i.e. your business page) are going to be at the top of a Google search because of the perceived relationship your business has with a major website.

And while a Facebook business page can never replace the overall content and customization benefits of a website for SEO, having a social media presence in the beginning phases of building your business is a great way to quickly increase your brand identity.

Quick tip: Facebook business pages allow for “custom url’s,” or Facebook.com/yourcustombusinessnamehere to be made, and if utilized properly, these URL’s can contain keywords that can make your business a visible force on web searches quickly. For example, Facebook.com/GolfClubsInIndianapolis can potentially bring your business to the front page of search engines when people look for “golf clubs in indianapolis” because of the keywords and their attachment to a popular and well-respected site.

2.  Get The Instant Pulse of Public Opinion:

Facebook recently released real-time analytics for business pages that allow page owners to see instant feedback, in terms of post views, sharing etc., on business’ posts in a matter of minutes. Meaning, you get the luxury of instantly seeing what information your consumer market is interested in, and what content isn’t attracting attention. Allowing you to adjust your posting habits, content, and sales pitch to the current trends of your buying public and better target your demographics.

3.  ”Fire Safety”:

If social media is where the world goes to talk, then shouldn’t your business have an ear to the conversation? Odds are, someone is saying something about your business at any given time on social media, and some of the talk could be negative. If your business is not around on social media platforms to  ”put out the fire,” rumors could soon spiral out of control without ever knowing there was a problem.

Having a presence on social media, and becoming an active participant in the conversation of your business, not only provides an opportunity for to help harvest compliments and find brand ambassadors (people willing to spread the word about your business), but it also helps your business quickly settle problems and misunderstandings.

Having a presence on Facebook also usually means your “official page” will soon become the arena in which your customers voice their opinion. And while having people voice their complaints on your page may seem like a negative thing at first glance, it isn’t. Having the conversation in a more controlled environment, such as your business page, allows your business to better control the tiny “fires” that may arise.

More and more benefits to social media continue to be found every day, and as the number of conversations on social media platforms continues to grow, your business’ presence is becoming more and more necessary for more than just “socializing” on social media.

If you have any more questions, or want to learn more about the power of social media, feel free to contact us.