Why social media matters

??????? ? ? ?Social media has become the daily routine for millions of people around the world. While its influence reaches far beyond communication, it is important to not lose sight of how it can help your business stand out from the crowd.

??????? ? ? ? Here are some essential tips to take advantage of social networks without spending too much time on them:

1) ?Keep an eye on your competitors! They use social media too, so you should understand their strategies and tactics better than anyone else. ?What works best for them? ?What do they spend most of their time doing? ?How do they engage with potential customers or partners? ?Being aware of which actions are successful will allow you to adapt and improve your own strategy.

2) ?Use social media to be constantly in touch with customers, followers and activists. ?It allows you to correct misinterpretations quickly before they generate bad publicity or dissatisfaction among the people who are closest to you. It also makes it possible to keep an eye on what is said about your company, so that by reacting promptly to any false information out there people will start trusting you more.

3) ?Be proactive! If you want something, do not wait for it come to you naturally. Take part in discussions, answer questions… even if the other person does not speak directly about your industry or company, see how you can help them solve their issues.

4) ?????? ? ? ? ?If you are looking to hire new employees, social media can be a way to find them. ?People generally list their areas of expertise along with keywords that represent the type of job they are looking for on their profiles. This means that you will have access to people who might be interested in working for your company without having posted any kind of ad or call-out.

??????? ? ? ? These tips should help you start taking advantage of social networks if you never had before, but keep in mind this is not an end onto itself! Balance is key here: spend enough time on social media so that it does not become an obligation (if you feel like your heart is not in it, maybe's time to try something different), but make sure you pay attention to all your daily tasks and business objectives as well.

??????? ? ? ? Now, let's take a look at how social media can help small businesses succeed in their ventures!

??????? ? ? ? ?When shopping for something, what do you usually do? ?You might use your phone to compare prices on different websites or read reviews from other users. ?Social media is the perfect platform to do that: it allows you to find recommendations from people who have already purchased a product or service, so that they can tell you what really matters before making a decision. And don't forget using hashtags is a great way to get even more information about a brand or product. Hashtags are short, relevant phrases comprising of a few words with no spaces and which begin with the hash (#) sign. You can find hashtags on most social media sites: they let you create groupings around common interests (for example, #onlinemarketing), search for them and see what other users are tweeting about (which is also a great way to be in touch with potential customers or partners).

??????? ? ? ? If you want to boost awareness of your brand, then social media is the place where you will be most successful! ?People nowadays trust opinions they read online more than any advertisement: they know it has been written by someone like them who uses these products or services regularly. So go ahead, start sharing things that matter to your business: your targets will see that you are just like them and create a relationship with you.

??????? ? ? ? Once people start liking, following and trusting you, it becomes easier to convince them to purchase your products or services: they already know about your company and will feel more at ease than if you had approached them for the first time.

??????? ? ? ?But don't forget it is not all about numbers! Many brands use social media as a way to connect with other businesses in their industry, so do not miss this chance either! Start attending events, create a network of contacts… who knows where this could lead?

Last but not least: social media can be a great tool for networking! As an entrepreneur, the more people you know, the more opportunities you will have to create a successful business!