5 Benefits of Organic Social Media
Organic social media is for more than just advertising and promotions - it can benefit many functions of the business. In this blog post I’ll be going over what organic social media is and five specific ways that it can improve your company.
What is organic social media?
Organic social media is any free content that is posted on a social platform, whether it be posted by a mom on Facebook or a brand on Snapchat. It shows up on the homepage, the page of any hashtags that are included in the caption, and wherever anyone reposts the content. It’s a great way to build brand awareness but paid social is often chosen for that task if the company has an appropriate marketing budget available. However, organic social media does have some exclusive perks. It’s a great resource for both small and large businesses alike, so let’s get into five of the top benefits.
Uses of organic social media
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Organic social media offers a great opportunity to contact your customers directly. They can leave inquiries in your direct messages or even in the comments of your posts. If handled correctly, this leaves a positive perception of the brand and encourages weary buyers to choose your company over competitors. It also allows issues to be addressed promptly and easily, thus improving customer satisfaction.
HONEST FEEDBACK: Customers love to share their opinions of products and services over social media. They may leave comments about their experiences or create user generated content to share on their own pages. This kind of interaction can reveal what does and doesn't work well about your business from a customer’s perspective. This is invaluable when developing new ideas or revisiting old concepts.
BUSINESS STRATEGY: When consumers join public conversations about a business, great ideas are bound to form. Feedback can guide your company’s strategy in ways that may not have been previously envisioned by your team. On the other hand, you can use competitor’s social media comments and engagement to gain fresh ideas for your own business. You can replicate what’s working well for them and cut out what is causing them problems. It’s a great way to benchmark, build community, and improve the industry overall. 72% of companies already use social media data to inform business decisions so why don’t you join them?
GENERATING LEADS: Social media is just that - social. People are constantly communicating on the platforms so it’s no surprise that business often comes up. 55% of consumers learn about new brands on social media via their feeds, hashtags, and what their friends share. It’s a natural, low-cost way to get more people talking about your business as well as find information about those that may be interested in your offerings.
CREDIBILITY BUILDING: A strong social media presence causes consumers to trust your business more. In fact, 77% of consumers will choose a brand over a competitor after having a positive experience with that brand on social media. Followers of businesses on social media are able to form deeper connections with the brand than the typical customer and form parasocial relationships of sorts. This leads to more conversions, sales, and money in your pocket.
For these five reasons and more, organic social media is a great tool for businesses looking to engage customers at all stages in the marketing funnel. It can build brand awareness, increase satisfaction in current customers, and even improve the inner-workings of your business. It’s free and easy to get started on social media, so why not take the leap and elevate your marketing efforts today? Thank you for reading and happy socializing!