Does Social Media Promotion Really Work?

Facebook. Twitter. YouTube. LinkedIn. What do all of these social media outlets have in common? They are everywhere! You can’t turn on the TV, go to a website or look at an advertisement without these icons appearing somewhere. With social media becoming a standard practice throughout the world, it’s highly recommended that any company have a presence on these sites.

Rob Jones, editor of SmartBrief, a one-stop shop for up-to-date news, said, “Social media essentially is a category of online media where people are talking, participating, sharing, networking and bookmarking online.” Customers want to be able to experience the product in a unique way and social media outlets allow for this to happen. Social media allows customers to share their opinions on products or services and companies value the feedback. Having a strong social media presence can drive brand awareness and allow businesses to address a user’s concerns quickly and efficiently. Many top name brands are using social media to promote new products or help drive traffic to their websites, many receiving one million plus visitors a day! Check out what Skittles, Harley-Davidson, and Target are doing.

For years, businesses with small advertising budgets have been wondering how they can promote their services or products without having to break the bank. Social media has opened that window for many start-ups and small businesses, allowing them to promote their brand affordably without being restricted creatively. The majority of social media sites contain an excess amount of authority, meaning that search engines pick up a brand that is being promoted, leading to higher rankings among search engines like Google, Yahoo! and Bing. Social media sites continue to have an impact on search results and each other.

Today, social media marketing is more efficient, effective and trackable than it was even just a year ago. So how does it work? To gain a better understanding, check out the infographic below. Next to each social site is the number of unique visitors per month and how one medium can help promote another.