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W EEKLY EDITION APRIL 18, 2018 Are You Using These Tricks to Boost Your Business on Social Med ia? By Emily Newburg, PSAI Membership and Data Services Coordinator With around 2 billion active users, social media cannot be beat for promoting your business. Companies who make use of it are raising awareness of their brand, increasing their search eng ine optimization, and building more loyal relationships with their customers. People of all ages and demographics use social media and many use it to make their buying decisions. Not only that, 71% of customers will recommend a business after they have a p ositive experience with them on social media, and 52% of businesses who use it say it alone has increased their sales and revenue. Today it's no longer a question of whether it will work for you; it's only a matter of whether you will work for it. Maintai ning a strong presence on social media is not easy. There are many different platforms to choose from, and there is no guarantee you will build a community of followers. One of the perks of social media is the ability to test the differen t platforms withou t a financial investment. You may choose to boost your posts or purchase an ad but it's not necessary, which makes social media the most cost - effective form of advertising out there. But for all the platforms available, if you don't have the resources to s tay engaged it will reflect in lower conversion rates than expected. So how do you make social media work for you? Before you get started you must come up with a plan. Define your target audience and set a goal for what you want to achieve. This will he lp you choose your platform(s) and optimize your output. According to a 2017 survey of social media marketers, the most valuable platforms for business - to - consumer models are Facebook and YouTube, as these reach the widest range of users. LinkedIn and Twit ter are more likely to influence business - to - business purchasing decisions, and Instagram ranks highly for companies that rely on strong visuals for sales. Focus on one platform or mix it up with a couple, but avoid overextending yourself. To attract vis itors you must share original content. Providing links to other sites relinquishes you as the authority in your industry, whereas posting real value on your site helps your company become the expert. But do be sure to follow those whom you consider to be t he real leaders, as this will help you learn best practices and can even spark inspiration. Social media gives you the opportunity to deliver excellent customer service, but this is key: You must set aside time to respond to comments and questions in a t imely way in order to optimize your presence. The more conversations you start or engage, the more likes, shares, and comments you will get, which result in higher conversion rates. Generally, people view social media as a safe and comfortable space to sho p without forming a commitment, and they are less likely to view your posts as advertisements. Take advantage but also make sure to mix it up; add fun facts or updates more often than hard ads. And did you know that just by opening a social media account y ou automatically appear higher on search engine lists? Google any company with a Facebook or LinkedIn profile to see for yourself. P AGE 5 CONTINUED ON PAGE 6