3 Reasons Your Small Business Needs a Social Media Presence

A single share can be worth 1,000 print ads.

Most modern businesses understand that building a good business website is a basic necessity these days. Your customers expect it.

But a website isn't the only thing your small business needs to join the 21st century. No, your business also needs an active, robust social media presence. Here's why.

1. All the cool kids are doing it

All right, so there may be one or two cool kids who aren't on social media, but they are few and far between. On the whole, your customer base -- be they everyday consumers, niche shoppers, or even other businesses -- can be found on at least one (but likely several) social media platforms.

If there is one thing that's universal about marketing, it's that you need to go where the people are. And they can be found posting, liking, and sharing with their family, friends, and customers.

This popularity means that if your business isn't on social media, it's very, very noticeable -- especially to younger folks who consider social media a cornerstone of their digital lives. As odd as it may sound, having social media accounts is actually a key part of looking like a proper business.

2. It's (mostly) free marketing

Putting aside the current nonsense with certain platforms and paid verification -- social media is, generally, free. You can create an account (even a business account) for free on most platforms. You can post for free. You can like and share for free. You can even find free classes on how to be more effective at marketing on specific platforms.

Can there be costs associated with social media? Certainly. There will be extra costs if you outsource your posting, or if you want to buy ad space or place sponsored posts (though some business credit cards offer bonus rewards for ad buys). 

But none of these things are required to create an effective social media marketing campaign. You just need an active social media account that offers something of value (e.g., your posts are informative or entertaining). 

As long as your content is sharable, your followers will take care of the rest. A good social media campaign can be more effective than flyers, billboards, or other advertising -- at a tiny fraction (or even none) of the cost.

3. It's the new standard for customer service

In addition to a marketing tool, social media has become a fantastic tool for customer service. When customers have a question about your products or services, they'll often reach out through social media (sometimes before they even bother to look for an FAQ on your website). 

In fact, it's safe to say that social media has become a standard part of customer service. If your business doesn't have social media -- or isn't responsive to customer questions on those platforms -- it can shed negative light on your company.

A social media team of one

As important as it is that your business has a social media presence, I really want to emphasize that you don't need a five-person social media team (unless your company is quite large).

Even a busy sole proprietor can manage to maintain an active social media presence. Once you figure out what type of posts best work for your brand, you can create templates and otherwise streamline the posting process. Additionally, make sure you have notifications set up to let you know when someone has messaged, tagged, or mentioned your company on a given platform. This allows you to respond quickly to questions or other feedback.