Small businesses: Time to get social

Reports have uncovered that small business organisations in South Africa need to go on a huge online networking drive or face being left behind.
More and more organisations on the planet are extending their reach and presence online. Small to medium enterprise (SME’s), the life blood of economies, are utilising online networking platforms to power their prosperity and your business would do well to go with the same strategy.

Just 20% of new South African SME’s are on online networking platforms.

Figures published in 2013 by well-known UK-based digital consulting agency Addpeople, demonstrated that the majority of South African SME’s have yet to join the social and digital networking trend and therefore are projected to be missing out on a 35% – 55% growth for their businesses.

As per their examination, before 2013 up to 80% of all new South African businesses were not using the full dynamic of a social networking platform, for example, a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

The other 20% of the survey who did have social networking as a strategy, 69% of which didn’t have back-links to their websites – passing up a major opportunity for real showcasing and deal opportunities.

With a specific end goal for business to achieve a more extensive group of customers it is pivotal for SME’s to diversify their online social and digital campaigns. 71% of customers who are currently actively looking online and actively utilising social media are more inclined to purchase an item or service from an organisation they have trusted or connected with on the web.

Our number also additionally demonstrate that 36% of consumers online have posted about their encounters that they have had with brands online, be it a positive or negative experience, redefining the term by-word-of-mouth marketing.

Blending business with social networking

An alternate study done by LinkedIn in the US uncovered that the most obvious issue confronting most small organisations is drawing in new customers, and 61% of SME’s accept online networking is helping them extend their marketing reach.

The alternative streams that online networking and social media offers is educations. The study uncovered that 49% of SME’s use online networking for that reason. A couple of examples of this,

FAQ’s (Frequently asked questions) to make inquiries or get relevant subject matter info
Gain knowledge from specialists in their industry
Acquire learnings, experiences, or best practices
Discover data and sentiments to answer their inquiries

10 Steps to enhancing your social media posts:

Step 1: Set your objectives

Step 2: Get onto at least 2 social media platforms and captivate your devotees!

Step 3: Learn the breakdowns of tweets, posts or comments

Step 4: Ask and answer questions timeously and correctly

Step 5: Join the #Hashtag nation and be a party to those discussions

Step 6: Be current and relevant and don’t just push your businesses agenda

Step 7: Create dynamic self-authored content

Step 8: Create fantastic social media posts with attractive user offers

Step 9: Promote your successes and celebrate your brand

Step 10: Be strategic with your audience (Likes must be relevant to your company)

Read Grant Selvan’s Cutting Edge blog here.