Are You A Master of Social Media?

Learning to use social media is vital to business in today’s world. But there are still many companies that see it as folly.

Social media rules

Small businesses often believe that because they are performing well everything will keep working as it always has done. Such thinking, however, overlooks the reality of one of the biggest structural changes in generations: social media

Businesses need to learn to master the tools of social media although many still suffer from an overdose of caution and complacency. The truth is that lots of businesses compete in the offline world only, whereas, others operate successfully online and offline.

The reality, however, is that companies that don’t transact online are not as prepared for the future as those that do because customers are progressively buying in that space. The statistics are staggering, particularly for people under thirty, as the next generation enters the workforce as digital natives with digital experiences and digital expectations.

Organisations that allow digital skills deficits to develop within the workforce will suffer as the world moves ever more digital. Amazon and the Vote Leave campaign in the Brexit referendum provide examples of very different organisations that leveraged social media to compete and win in very different scenarios.

The advantages of digital savvy staff are enormous as they identify how resources should be deployed to attract and retain customers. The ability to collect, analyse and act on data from social media, online resources, websites and other digital devices is vital to any company.

Knowledge and skills

Such skills and knowledge enable marketing managers to micro-manage messages in ways that sway shoppers. The collection of private details through email addresses, smartphones and other devices and platforms provides access to the choices people make.

Such data helps business engage more regularly with customers while learning from every interaction to inform current and future fads. It also offers opportunities to engage through whatever medium suits, whether via email, text message, video, photographs, Instagram or a myriad of other forms.

Data collection and analysis via social media enables business to reach younger audiences on which they can build long-term futures, as there is a shift amongst young people away from getting information from traditionally trusted sources such as newspapers and TV. Even in recent years there has been a move from email to text messages to WhatsApp, as the latter are increasingly seen as more relevant.

The truth is that people are spending more time on social media and businesses that fail to engage will become disengaged; a fatal flaw for any organisation with aspirations of success

So, the future holds many challenges for business but one of the biggest is the need to engage with customers by mastering the art of social media.