Are you wondering if you should your outsource your social media efforts?

Do you feel overwhelmed by all the all the information out there on the web about social media and the constant updates and changes? You are not alone! There are constant updates and new social media sites. Web presence for a local business is inexpensive, expected, and demanded by local consumers for business success. In this article we will discuss how outsourcing your social media efforts is beneficial to your local business for getting exposure, increasing traffic, saving you time, creating campaign strategies, carrying out technical requirements, branding, building a business community, and saving you money.

The shift to social media from traditional and expensive advertising is creating new ways to get the word out to your customers and prospects. Have you made the shift yet? Don’t get left behind and let your competition take your customers!

Benefit #1 - Campaign Strategy

Social media experts can determine your niche and target your local market through social media. They can determine the correct platforms for your local business, to maximize its efforts for greater impact, to reach your long term business goals. They can measure results, and help you interpret what the measurements mean, so you can redirect your efforts correctly to meet your business goals.

Benefit #2 - Time

Let the experts figure out where you should be spending your time and effort online. Social media may appear as an easy effort, but to create business success, you need an expert coordinating your social media presence. Do you have time daily to engage with future prospects and customers on several social media sites?

Do what you do best, run your business. Let the experts do what they are trained to do so your social presence isn't an accident- it is a planned event. Don't risk letting social media take a back burner or have it back fire and ruin your business.

Benefit #3 - Technical Skills

There are many technical skills involved with social media sites such as the following: content creation, constantly learning about new updates on sites, setting up new sites, attracting visitors, videos, updating your blog, and design. These are time consuming and may cause frustration with all their technical pitfalls if it isn't your specialty.

To be competitive you need weekly blog posts. How long does it take for you to write an article? How are your English skills? Do you know how to use keywords to drive traffic to your website?

Do you know how to make marketing videos? Vidoes help prospects know, like, and trust you before they ever meet you or see your products/ services. Do you have the software to record the videos and the cameras to shoot them? Do you have the skills to operate the software, operate the cameras, write scripts, make changes on videos, and code them? How long would it take you to complete a video and then distribute it out to other video channels?

Benefit #4 - Branding

Branding forms your business identity by combining your businesses overall marketing strategy and design consistency. You need to consistently and skillfully match all of your designs and your logo on all of your business pages such as: Facebook Fan Pages, Google Plus Business Page, LinkedIn, Blog posts, Guest Blog posts, YouTube and Twitter background. It needs to appear like a professional business page not a personal page.

Your business reputation needs to be managed; it can't be left to chance! While you are experimenting in learning the various social media sites, you may be destroying your professional reputation of not appearing like an expert in your niche because of the amateur presence you have created on the various social media sites.

Benefit #5 - Creating Traffic

Experts know not only how to create more traffic through social media than your website; they also know how to use keywords to send traffic to your website. Social media creates huge opportunities to interact with consumers. This needs to be monitored with skill to fit your brand, meet your long-term business goals, and protect your business reputation.

Benefit #6 - Cost

Skilled social media online presence is a fraction of the cost of traditional online advertising such as pay per click (PPC). Social media marketing is the new driving force in advertising and is cheaper than traditional forms of marketing such as radio, print, television, and billboards. The social media audience is much larger than any other media and it can be targeted specifically to consumer needs of your business niche and locations.

If you are driving past a billboard for example and you see a lawyer advertised, are you going to have a paper and pen handy to write down the phone number or the website needed to reach the lawyer before you drive past the billboard? You would probably be more likely to use your computer or smart phone when the need for a lawyer arises! Customers look when they have a need, not just because you advertise.

Benefit #7 - Build A Business Community

It isn't an accident for a business to build a social community where customers feel they belong; it is a necessary skill for business success! Why risk the damage of losing your business community because an expert wasn't coordinating the entire strategy! Online customer interaction is an important as building a basement in a house. If done right, it gives you a firm permanent base for customers to continue to choose your business over your competitor. You want to build relationships to grow your business. 

Still wondering if you should outsource your social media efforts?

Think about where you get the most bang for your buck? Compare the number of people you can reach in a speaking engagement versus online? What would be the cost of advertising by mail, yellow pages, billboards, newspapers, and magazines compared to social media? Wake up!! This is 2012 and the world has changed! Online advertising and marketing through social media where your customers hangout is the # 1 way to go!

Do you think the traditional forms marketing of marketing are still the best or has online marketing overtaken them? Share with us your opinions and experiences.

Hope you enjoyed this post! If social media management sounds like something your business needs, or if you have questions on how to take advantage of social media marketing, contact us today, St. Paul Marketing Team, at 651-731-0768 or Email us at info@StPaulMarketingTeam.com.

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