Social Media for Business: Current Trends

There's no doubt that the use of social media has transitioned from "the new shiny" to established marketing tool. The Pew Research Center affirms this, stating that use of social media by adults in the U.S. has risen from 5% in 2005 to 69% in 2016.

By now we know that social media can help you promote your small business with:

  • Brand Awareness / Increased Exposure
  • Leads / Referrals
  • Setting Expectations / Customer Education
  • Recruitment
  • Competitive Analysis
  • SEO
  • Client Insights

Here are a few new developments in social media that can help you reach your customers:

Facebook Chatbots
Acting similarly to Facebook Messenger, you can initiate an interaction with a prospect using a Facebook Chatbot.

Facebook chatbot

You can create your own brand page chatbot using one of these online tools: ChatFuel, Botsify, or OnSequel.

Shop or Book an Appointment with Instagram
Instagram recently announced they’ve reached the 1 million advertiser mark. So while it’s still a visual playground, it’s also a space where business can happen with ease. Soon, business pages will be able to include a “book” button, so customers can make appointments and reservations.

Video
Using video in social media isn't new, but if you're not taking advantage of this way to get in front of your audience, start today. 

Facebook Live isn’t really new anymore but you should absolutely take advantage of using it as a communications tool. 

  • Facebook Live Videos Are Watched 3x Longer Than Videos That Aren’t Live Anymore
  • sers Comment On Facebook Live Videos At 10x The Rate Of Regular Videos

You can use it spontaneously or schedule “Facebook live” sessions – Q&A's tours/walkthroughs, event coverage, and more.

How will you work toward including more social media in your marketing efforts?