8 REASONS YOU CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO HAVE A DIGITAL STRATEGY

Author: Dylan Cotton

Recently, I created a graphic containing statistics on social media usage in Australia. My research confirmed what we all already know – Australian’s LOVE their social media. For many, social media platforms have become the leading way to get the latest news, find innovative business solutions, keep up to date with friends and family and see what our favourite celebrities are doing. With over 18 million Australians on at least one social media platform, it is a significant communications channel for businesses.

The following are 8 great reasons why you should be using social media to get your message across:

• It’s cost effective

One thing most people can agree on, is that they want as much reach as possible for the smallest possible cost. Social media platforms allow businesses the best opportunity to reach a large audience without breaking the bank. Businesses have the chance to create sustained campaigns that also give the flexibility to see what works and what doesn’t.

• Trackable metrics and data

Having live data is a great advantage of marketing on social media. It gives you a way of seeing what content works, engagement on posts, how many people you have reached and defining your ideal market. These insights can prove to be invaluable as you grow your business and give you fundamental information to move forward with. 

• Engaging with customers online

Quality two-way interactions are paramount for businesses. It gives the opportunity for quick responses which can be the difference between someone choosing your business or a competitor. Engagement with your customers on a social platform shows commitment to them, which can elevate your brand as well as adding a human element to your business shop front.

• The ability to reach potential customers

While you’re engaging with current customers, don’t forget about the ones that don’t know your brand yet. Social media is one of the leading ways that people do research before making a purchasing decision. By being active and creating content, your business is more likely to be found through digital channels.

• Elevate your brand

By engaging and building a rapport online, you’re building your brand identity. Every post allows customers and potential-customers to understand what you stand for and why they should choose your businesses over a competitor.

• Scope the competition

Analysing your competition has never been so easy! It’s likely that your major competitors have a social media presence, which can allow you to gain oversight of their marketing strategies, content and community impact. By knowing this, it gives you the opportunity to position yourself and create a competitive advantage.  

• Targeted advertising

The amount of data that goes through social media platforms is mind boggling, creating an extremely powerful tool which you can use to target niche markets. From online interactions, your target market can be pinpointed with the click of a button. This also creates the opportunity to test markets to see how receptive they are to your business.

• Scheduling

Time is money, right? One of the best things about social media is that it has the capability to schedule numerous posts ahead of time so that your content can be distributed at a selected time to reach your ideal audience. Scheduling allows you to map out strategies weeks in advance so you can get on with the business of doing business.

The average Australian spends around 1.5 to 1.75 hours per day across their chosen platforms- make sure your business is capitalising!

Captive Communications has the specialist team that can help your business reach its full potential.

Visit pvwpartners.com/captivecommunications for more information or connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn.