Social Media – Why it’s important for your business

So… what is it, and is it so important?

The best way to define social media is to break it down. Media is an instrument of communication, like a newspaper or a radio, so social media would be a social instrument of communication.

Think of regular media as a one-way street where you can read a newspaper or listen to a report on television, but you have very limited ability to give your thoughts on the matter.

Social media, on the other hand, is a two-way street that gives you the ability to communicate too.”

Who is using social media?

The simple answer is almost everyone.

“Social media continues to grow apace around the world too, with active user accounts now equating to roughly 29% of the world’s population”
And it’s not just ‘Generation Y’ that is using social media, people of all ages and backgrounds are discovering that they can enhance their lives through the various online interactions and touch points that social media allows.

there has been a surge in usership among those 65 and older. In 2005, 2% of seniors used social media, compared with 35% today”

Regardless of age social media is indisputably an important part of life to Australians and globally.

A March 2015 Australian Neilsen Report⁴ Found:

• Australians spent 36 hours online with over 62 sessions per person
• 39 billion minutes were spent online with 28 billion pages viewed
• Australia’s favourite social network, with an average of 7 hours and 42 minutes spent and 23 sessions was Facebook
• Youth aged 2-15 years are spending an average of 11.5 hours using the internet each week. A three-fold increase since 2007.

These statistics reinforce the impact of social media and the degree to which it is becoming part of everyday life for the average Australian. for more information on social media statistics, check out our Social media stats infographic and out facebook engagement infographic

With social media you’ll be able to:

• Reach your customers where they are, instead of advertising in places you hope they’ll be.
• Send your message to people who care about your product and don’t waste money on people who don’t.
• Ability to communicate with your audience at any time of the day or night.
• Promote specials and offers to your fan base (a fantastic way to build loyalty).
• This is just the beginning; the opportunities of social media are constantly growing and evolving.

Webfirm Melbourne offers a Social Media Business Package – check it out and see if it’s right for you and your business.

—————- References ——————-

[1] Daniel Nation

[2] Simon Kemp

[3] Andrew Perrin 

[4] Neilsen