In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, one thing remains constant: the undeniable power of social media marketing. In an age where digital platforms reign supreme, social media has emerged as a formidable force, driving brand visibility, customer engagement, and business success.

By harnessing the power of social platforms, businesses can not only connect with their target audience but also propel their brands to new levels of success. The choice is clear: adapt and embrace social media or risk falling behind in an ever-advancing digital world. Our Digital & Social Media Manager, Hannah, explains more.

Setting the scene: the power of social platforms 
Social media marketing is so much more than just posting updates; it’s about creating a well-thought-out strategy that encompasses content creation, audience engagement, and data analysis, using various social media platforms to connect with your audience and achieve specific marketing goals.

It also provides a key source of information for businesses looking to tap into social insights. In fact, according to Sprout Social’s 2023 State of Social Media Report, the use of social data for strategic decisions is expected to increase in the next three years, with business leaders recognising how important social media data and insights are in informing business strategies. Similarly, the same report found that overall marketing budgets are expected to increase over the next three years, with around 4 in 10 business leaders expecting social budgets specifically to increase by at least 50%, further proving the importance of investing in social media and getting it right sooner rather than later.

The dynamic nature of SMM
Social media is more than just a marketing strategy; it’s a living ecosystem that adapts and evolves with the ever-changing digital landscape. Here’s why social media remains an indispensable tool for businesses in 2023:

1. Unrivalled audience reach
   As of January 2023, there were 57.1 million active social media users in the UK alone. For sheer reach alone, social marketing presents a goldmine of opportunities for businesses to connect with potential customers, while also making it simple to reach specific demographics and those with certain interests and behaviours.
2. Enhanced brand visibility 
   The relentless competition within the digital landscape means that, in 2023, a strong online presence has never been more important. And, social media is the key, enabling you to increase your brand’s visibility by delivering targeted content to the right audience. 89% of marketers state that social media has generated more exposure for their business, with this visibility translating into more recognition, trust, and, ultimately, more customers.
3. Built for engagement and interaction 
   Social marketing isn’t just about reaching customers. Instead, it’s about building communities around your brand. Social platforms are interactive by design, fostering engagement through likes, shares, comments, and messages, helping you to build engaged online communities. These online communities then serve as platforms for engagement, where consumers connect, both with each other and with your brand, and businesses can use these interactions to build relationships with their audience, receive feedback, and provide customer support. These audiences then become loyal advocates, helping you spread your message even further.
4. Supports data-driven decisions 
   Social media provides a huge amount of data and analytics that you can tap into. By tracking metrics such as engagement, click-through rates, and audience demographics you can make more informed decisions, optimising your activity for your target audience and creating content that you know they want to see.