​

​

​

 

“We don’t have a choice on whether we DO social media, 

the question is how well we do it.” — Erik Qualman, Bestselling Author,  Socialnomics 

 

As of January 2024, there were 5.04 billion social media users worldwide,  which is 62.3% of the world's population. This is an 8% increase from January 2023, when there were 4.72 billion social media users.

 

WOW. Social Media is not fading into the sunset by any means. Statista predicts that the number of social media users will reach 5.17 billion by the end of 2024, which is a 5.7% increase from 2023.

​

As a small business owner, imagine the immense potential awaiting you in reaching just a fraction of the social media users who would desire your products or services. By capitalizing on this opportunity, you can pave the way for a thriving and prosperous business. 

 

So, why not seize the social media advantage and make the most of it?

​

Think of social media as a level playing field; you may not don't have the budget to run TV or web ads the way big companies can, but your social profiles can give your business the same type of exposure. And, opportunities the big players have to build a customer following...pretty awesome when you think about it.  Before social media, this wasn't possible.

 

Here are a few numbers to think about (of course these stats change, but you can see how powerful they are):

​

• 75% of consumers use social media as part of their buying process.

• 85% of Gen Z says social media impacts purchase decisions

• 78% of small businesses attract new customers and engage their existing customers using social media.

• 85% of online orders from social media come from Facebook alone.

• 62% of consumers share online deals with friends through social media, exposing your brand to a broader audience.

• In 2022, 98% of shoppers surveyed by Sprout Social said they plan to make at least one purchase through social shopping or influencer commerce.

• 76% of consumers have purchased a product they saw in a brand's social media post.

​

It's incredibly important to your success that people see and hear from you regularly -- even if you have a great website -- because: 

​

• It helps keep your customers aware of you and your offerings, as well as providing the opportunity for referrals by tagging a friend or two. (71% of consumers who receive a quick response on social media would recommend the brand to others*)

​

• You're less likely to lose customers to your competitors who do have a social media presence (63% of consumers who search for businesses online are more likely to use ones with an informative social media presence*)  

​

 

And 2 more not-so-secret secrets:

 

1. Having your business on social media validates your business or brand.

Have you ever tried to find a business online, only to find that they have no social media presence on platforms like Facebook, X (Twitter), Pinterest, Instagram, and more? This might make you question their authenticity, and professionalism, or even worse, you may wonder if there are any underlying problems with the company.

​

​2. The real value of social media is to create, maintain, and grow your customer/client base by engaging with them regularly....in other words, connecting with them and keeping it going.

 

Consumers have more choices than they've ever had.  For your business to stand out, they need to hear from you and know you're listening to them.  It's like your relationships with people: those you communicate with the most are probably the ones most often on your mind. And because they're on your mind, you remember to check in with them.

- a WIN-WIN!

 

That's what you're doing for your business when you use social media effectively, and --

​

I'd love to do that for you!