Aside from the obvious boost in consumer awareness and profit, there are other benefits to implementing a social media marketing strategy. For example, when a consumer visits your businesses Facebook page, they have an opportunity to connect directly with you. The information they give you, including if they “like” a product picture you have posted, can be used to help you with targeting and personalization of offers.

To expand this even further, when your business has a public presence on any of the various social media sites that offer sharing and commenting options, regardless of the social media site, you have real-time access to the likes and dislikes, and opinions and comments of all of your current and potential customers. The wealth of consumer insight that is literally at your fingertips can help you grow your business exponentially.

For the wealth of customer information, potential sales and free advertising that’s out there though, you won’t get anywhere with your customer base if you don’t approach them in the right way. Once you understand your online audience and what they want, you will have taken the first important step to creating a profitable social media marketing strategy that will result in more customers, stronger customer loyalty, and priceless free advertising through the various ways your business information will be shared on the social media sites.

To Chapter 5: Creating A Social Media Marketing Strategy