Is Social Media Required For Small Business?

While there are obvious arguments and exceptions, getting down to the knitty gritty

Yes, Social Media is required.

Whether you are a local area carpenter or a small pizza franchise, utilizing the various aspects of social media to reach your overall business goals is a great option. However, you don’t need to be a computer wiz or technology junkie to reap the benefits.

“But I don’t understand all of the fuss about these silly websites!”

This is the first step. Once you begin to understand and get a grasp on the basics of social media, the rest follows suit. The fundamental understanding of the major social media platforms may come quickly to some, but with a minimal time commitment, even the most stubborn of luddites can be tweeting and posting status updates with ease.

Still not convinced it is worth the effort? Here is a quick list of the many benefits provided:

• Business Exposure
• Customer Insights
• Reduced Marketing Expenses
• Lead Generations
• Extremely Targeted
• Competitve Advantage
• Analytics and Reporting
• Strengthen Loyalty
• Rise in Search Rankings
• Increased Website Traffic

"OK, You have convinced me... bring on the hordes of new customers!"

In today’s age we can compare having social media to needing a website ten years ago, and needing your business in the phone book years before that. So much so that it has almost become an expectation of every business, and just like its predecessors it is not enough to just sign up and wait.

An easy way to look at using social media is to compare it to going on a diet. Sure many people every year get excited and promise:

 “Alright from here on out, I am only going to eat healthy and get in the best shape I can”. 

But for many, two days later they can be seen eating slices of pizza and drinking soda.

Social media is a commitment. Just like you wouldn't expect to lose 20 pounds over night on a diet, neither should you expect social media to be the be all end all of your marketing. The more consistency and effort you put into your social media practices the greater the benefits.

Like many things in life, it is a marathon not a sprint.


Stay tuned for upcoming blogs that will expand on many of the most pressing questions small business owners have. Examples: How to Optimize A Facebook Page, Defining a Social Media Strategy and more.