Why is a Social Media Presence Important?

When we want information about someone or something, we check out their websites. If we want more information, we take a look at their LinkedIn page. If we really want to know what’s going on, we’ll log into Facebook or Twitter. Instagram or TikTok can provide a different kind of view altogether.

What is social media used for?

Social media facilitates the creation and sharing of content through virtual communities and networks. While the formats vary, social sites share common features—interactive, user-generated content. Social mediastarted out as a way to make personal connections, and it’s now used as a lead generation tool, a way to grow your brand, to advertise, promote your business or use it as a learning tool.

It’s amazing what people post to their social media accounts

Social media posts can work for you and provide important brand equity and contribute to your personal brand or they can completely sabotage you. A colleague who makes most of the hiring decisions for her company always checks out candidates’ Facebook and other social media accounts. When she sees a Facebook post of a candidate posing seductively in her underwear or less, for example, she sees a candidate demonstrating poor decision-making, and she eliminates this person from her list of potential hires.

Whether you know it or not, you have a personal brand

It’s how you, as a person, present yourself to the world. We’re now a gig economy, changing jobs frequently, or working as freelancers or contractors. Building and managing your personal brand has become an important component of career growth. Your social media accounts play a big part in this process.

What are the benefits of using social media for business?

There are now more than 4.2 billion active social media users around the world. Think about this: If you’re not using social as part of your digital marketing strategy, you’re missing out on an immediate, inexpensive, and effective way to reach almost half the world’s population.

Seven top social media apps

1. Facebook. With more than two billion users every single month, this is still the most-used social media site. And if you’re planning on doing an Facebook advertising, (7M advertisers) you need to have a robust presence on social media.
2. YouTube. Users now watch a billion hours of videos every day. YouTube is a Google product and is also the second largest search engine after Google.
3. WhatsApp. Anyone who’s done any traveling to foreign countries knows about WhatsApp—it’s used by people in more than 180 countries. Owned by Facebook, it allows us to call and text for free.
4. Instagram. Showcase yourself, your products/services on Instagram. Owned by Facebook, you can also create a business page.
5. Messenger (Facebook) has been a standalone app with expanded features. Businesses can advertise, create chatbots, send newsletters, etc.
6. WeChat is an all-in-one platform. Besides messaging and calling, users can shop online, pay bills, buy groceries, transfer money, make reservations, book taxis, etc.
7. TikTok is a short-form-video-sharing app. Despite only launching in 2017, it’s one of the fastest-growing apps in the world and recently overtook Google as the most visited internet site.

What are the advantages of social media?

1. Increase brand awareness. Being aware of a brand’s value can influence purchasing decisions. I’m an Apple user even though they make me crazy. I’ve spent hours waiting for my turn at the Genius Bar. But I just bought a new Mac and a new iPhone. I like the Apple platform and I know the learning curve will be minimal. Brand awareness is about knowledge, values, and beliefs. But it’s not just the tried and true. An estimated 83% of Instagram users say they find new products on that platform.
2. Humanize your brand. For businesses, social provides the ability to create real human connections. Showcase how existing customers are using and benefiting from your products. Showcase your team or launch a new product. It’s amazing the way we follow people and develop relationships with people we’ve never met. There’s an intimacy and authenticity that build trust, and trust drives new business. With so many people working from home or employed in the gig economy, it’s easy to become isolated. Taking a social break helps us feel connected.
3. Establish your brand as a thought leader. The 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer found that while there has been a recent swing towards distrust of government, NGOs and media, business is an institution with a 61 percent level of trust. People are looking to brands for insights and information. Social is the place to go for topics related to your niche.
4. Increase website traffic. Social media posts and ads are key ways to drive traffic to your website. This is all part of building a community among social media applications and website.
5. Stay top of mind. According to Pew Research, 70% of social media users log into their accounts at least once per day; 49% admit to checking social multiple times per day. Connect with fans and followers. Participating in social chats and joining groups helps increase visibility.
   1. Generate leads. Lead generation is an important benefit of social media for business. Online advertising is now a standard part of many marketing plans. Social sites are providing ad formats designed to collect leads.
   2. Partner with influencers. Influencer marketing has become an important way to build brand and community. It helps build brand awareness and credibility, positioning you for more sales.
   3. Promote content. If you’re creating great content, your social media sites are important distribution channels. On LinkedIn, for example, you can publish your entire blog. Be sure to also publish this to Blogger—it’s a Google product and it’s free. 19. Stay on top of industry news
   4. Learn. Stay on top of industry news and what your competitors are doing. Social listening is using social channels to stay informed. Leverage remarketing–use tracking tools to remind potential clients of a product they might have looked at and left or left in your shopping cart.

What are the negative effects of social media?

Social media helps us stay connected and share mission-critical information. This has been especially important during the Covid lockdowns that stretched into months and left many people isolated.

A Pew Research study of 750 13- to 17-year-olds found that 45% are online almost constantly and 97% use a social media platform. Social media use can also negatively affect teens, distracting them, disrupting their sleep, and exposing them to bullying, rumor spreading, unrealistic views of other people’s lives and peer pressure.

Those who spent more than three hours a day using social media might be at heightened risk for mental health problems, including depression, anxiety and problems sleeping. In addition, a small 2013 study found that older adolescents who used social media passively, by just viewing photos of other teens, attractive and happy, reported declines in life satisfaction. It’s as if they see others having what appears to be fun, highly social lives and their own lives do not measure up. the more time the students spent going out with their friends, the less they felt this way.

What is the danger in sharing personal photos and stories

Teens can be guilty of poor decision making, posting personal stories and photos to their social sites. The results are bullying and harassment. Even suicide. These stories that surface about kids who became so distraught they took their own lives are heartbreaking and demonstrate the

Contact Top of Mind Marketing. We’ll help your team develop a social media strategy for your business. We’re writers and digital marketing specialists.