Social media marketing is not a trend anymore, but a reality. Even though it’s still buzzing online, it’s time to move beyond the mere fact of using social media just because your competitors are using this new medium. You should have an optimized strategy and plan in place so that you can reap all the rewards and benefits of using social media for your business. Why is this medium so important? The reason is that your target audience is using it.

So why is social media more than just a buzz phrase and why is it important? Because it is social and most of the top websites are social. Social media channels consists of social networks, blogs, forums, and rich media sharing websites and much more. Social media is all about two way communication rather than one way monologues like traditional media. It’s engagement and building relationships with your audience.

Do you have more questions about social media? Find a couple of tips below why it’s important to have a social media strategy.

Social media benefits

Your target audience is using social media: Millions of people participate on social networking channels, read blogs, and are active on Twitter everyday. This includes people from all business sectors and is a major opportunity you can tap into.

Your competitors are using social media: Social media is everywhere and many businesses are jumping on the bandwagon with the hopes of building awareness for their business. Review what your competitors are doing and if it’s working. This data can be invaluable in creating an optimized social media strategy that will work for your business.

It’s cost effective: Most of the popular social media channels are free to use. This means you can reach your target audience without spending any money. The only money it costs is the time you spend making it a success.

Traffic: Targeted marketing with social media can bring you lots of targeted traffic that can convert into conversions.

Brand awareness: Marketing your business on the social web can introduce your company to new people. In a couple of seconds you can broadcast your message to any corner of the world – instantly. Compare this with traditional marketing.