It Is Time for Businesses to Embrace Social Media or Cease to Exist – Reade Milner

 

Is your brand on social media? This is one of the common questions that businesspeople everywhere hear on a regular basis. No matter what field or industry you might be in, people are always curious whether you’re on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Some people become enthusiastic and immediately give out the link to their social media profiles. But for others, they just shrug and say, “That’s not for us”. This is where the problem starts.

When Social Media was Just a Trend

Back in the days when the first social media sites were just starting to gain popularity (and yes, this was way before Facebook), there were naysayers thinking that this was just another fad that the digital crowd used to hype people up. Zoom into 2015 and social media has not only gotten stronger and better, but it has also become one of the main reasons a lot of businesses exist today.

Today, social media caters to different groups, individuals, and businesses, with each site concentrating on a certain niche that people can relate with the most. LinkedIn, for example, has become the best B2B social media platform where individuals and businesses could find future partners. Facebook however, is known to be more concentrated on the B2C community. Today, it’s not just a trend that teenagers or young professionals use, but it has become a universal need that sustains the lives of businesses around the world.

Surviving Through Social Media

So no, you can’t just say “That’s not for us”, because believe it or not, there is always a social media platform that can and will fit your business needs the most. And what is the consequence should you choose to ignore this call to amp up your social media presence? Business extinction.

In this digital day and age, merely having a website is not enough. People have to be able to feel your presence through social media to prove that you have something great to offer, and that you’re willing to back your brand up by opening up this line of communication. People look at social media to get the answers they are looking for. They see it as a channel for them to connect with you and see how you can help them. If they don’t find you on social media, it’s as if you don’t exist. It is not just about keeping up with the times. It’s about being a solid presence that shows partners, customers, and other businesses that you are here for the long haul.

Erik Qualman says,

The ROI of social media is that your business will still exist in 5 years.

And for the business owners who fail to see social media’s importance before it is too late will only nod in agreement.