With the emergence of new social media platforms, consumers are spending more time on social media than any other form of website. For companies, showing resistance to social media is futile. Millions of people are creating content for the web, and your competitors are already ahead by using social media. You need to put your businesses out there. This opportunity cannot be squandered as it gives you an opportunity to connect with your consumer, to shape your brand and develop long term customer relationships at a fraction of “above the line” media costs.

Here are a few ways through which you can leverage social media today:

Public relations

Well over 350 million people are reached through the social media platform every single day. These platforms have the ability to connect directly to the hearts and minds of the consumers, voters and public media. Social media platforms give the ability to instantly deliver messages to millions of people and the impact that it can have on public relations is ground shaking. However, crafting messages that are inevitable, all the while embracing transparency are the foundations for success.

Customer support

For many businesses, long after the sale has been made, a hidden cost is discovered, in the form of customer support costs. Good customer service is essential to maintaining a positive brand image, and it is absolutely required to avoid the returns of the products. Traditionally, customer support has been viewed as a cost center. However, some of the smart brands are starting to use social networks to help offload their support costs to a community of super users. This results in a net effect of two fold. The consumers are satisfied as they get the support they need and feel connected to a larger group of consumers who also have the same product.

Market Research

The value that good information holds is immeasurable. After the launch of your new brand, targeting the pool of consumers does not happen with the four walls of your company. Traditionally, people rely on expensive firms that cost both time and money. However, having access to tens of millions of consumers who are openly talking about their rational and emotional needs is a newly discovered goldmine for market research.

These are some of the areas that can add potential to your business and bring in a stronger pool of consumers for you. Other areas include promotions, consumer education, and sales and new product development.

Let’s be real, in the complex and ever changing world of social media, it is easy for even the best one of us to take a wrong turn and get lost. That’s why it is absolutely necessary to strategize through the four step process for successful social media; plan, build promote and measure. It is of utmost importance to identify the right strategic opportunities for best leveraging your assets and resources, so you can focus on building meaningful customer relationships, increase organization effectiveness, and grow your social platform effectively.

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