Reaching out to others online has never been easier thanks to social media platforms. But in order to reap the benefits, it is vital to integrate the world wide web’s networking phenomenon into your website.
Why? It is just one of many components needed to get the best out of your site, with other aspects to consider such as online content and your web hosting – the latter which you can find more about through WebHostingBlueBook.com.
For those of you who are new to social media – we can help. Here we explain why you need to use it, how to use it and which sites to choose.
Why social media is a must
Most people have a website created for personal or business use as a source of marketing. To drive people to and from your site, you can use social media.
It is a fantastic tool which can be used to engage with your target audience, increase publicity, as well as being accessible to the public. People of all age groups are using social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, as a source to find what they need.
So, it’s time to get onboard and get involved.
How to use social media
Only you can decide which social media platforms you want to link your website to.
Facebook is a must for anyone with a business, blog or personal interest they would like to generate interest in. With more than 500,000,000 users – it makes perfect sense to get a slice of the action.
Twitter is also great for sending regular updates about anything new which you have to publicise. It gives you 140 characters to create a ‘tweet’ to send out to those who choose to ‘follow’ you.
Then there is LinkedIn which is a vital social media channel for businesses to join. There are others like Google+ too, which are worth signing up to.
Once you are signed up, you need to create your profile and then entice as many followers as possible. They will then be able to read your posts, comment on them and share them if they wish. This all helps cast your net wider for reaching out to new people.
It is also important to add social media icons onto your website across different pages, if you have them. If you add buttons to ‘follow’, ‘like’ or ‘share’ your content or products, this will connect you with many other people who might not otherwise have known about your existence/services/products. If used properly, this source of marketing can prove invaluable.
Benefits
- Helps you to engage with your target audience/market which can lead to more traffic to your website
- Find out what your ‘crowd’ wants through connecting with them by asking for input and feedback
- It can lead to fresh interest through ‘shares’ and ‘likes’
- Increases your visibility
- Social media helps you to forge new relationships between you and your followers which can in turn improve the reputation of you or your brand
The future
It goes without saying that social media is growing. By taking advantage of this fantastic tool, you can keep on top of the latest technological ways of communicating online by linking it with your site.
But before you decide to go ahead, it is essential to know what it is you want to communicate and who with – then choose the social media channels you wish to connect with and broadcast through.
An excellent précis of social media, thanks very much for posting this article. Sites like Facebook and Twitter seem almost ubiquitous now, but research has shown that they’re still used more for personal communication than business, despite impressively large membership figures. Some firms are waking up to the benefits of social media, but others have yet to realise its true potential.
This is exactly why Dealer Buzz (http://www.dealerbuzz.co.uk) has been set up. Led by social media and digital marketing experts, it works specifically with used car dealerships to enhance their online presence with tools, such as SEO, PPC advertising and mobile apps. Dealer Buzz has, I believe, arrived at just the right moment in the history of internet communications. It’s time to take your business to the masses!