Firstly, to clarify, a website is important for every organisation, across all business types and industries. But in isolation, a business website is just not enough when it comes to online visibility for brands. Furthermore, a website alone is not able to drive business objectives. Changing consumer behaviour and evolving markets dictate that businesses need a multi-point strategy to succeed in the current landscape. In this article, we explain why a website should not be your only online platform. Instead, we propose an integrated approach, with social media forming a central part of your digital strategy.
WHY A WEBSITE ALONE IS NO LONGER ENOUGH
In a highly competitive environment, the brands that win are those that best meet customer needs and wants. As these change, so should business activities. Recent developments such as millennials entering the market and increased digitisation resulted in a changed consumer base. Characteristics of this evolved market include a change in:
- Customer demands: Customers expect brands to be client-focused. These demands include convenience, responsiveness, personalisation, user-value and relevance. Customer experience is based on how well these needs are met.
- Purchasing behaviour: Purchasing decisions are increasingly being based on the above-mentioned customer-centric values. As a result, improving customer experience has become a primary business objective globally.
- Digitisation: Increasing use of digitisation by both businesses and consumers have changed the commercial landscape. This includes the rising use of e-commerce, mobile, social media and other technologies.
- Business Trends: Trends indicate a growth in the customer experience approach, and a decrease in disruptive marketing tactics (such as unsolicited calls and untargeted messaging).
Based on the above, it is evident that a business website alone simply does not satisfy present customer needs or brand objectives. Fortunately, you can overcome these shortfalls by incorporating social media into your business strategy.
SOCIAL MEDIA AS PART OF YOUR DIGITAL STRATEGY
In terms of customer satisfaction, market trends, business objectives and overall brand growth, social media offers a wealth of benefits over a website alone. Such customer experience and business benefits provided by social media include:
- Business Visibility & Exposure: Your website being seen depends on users finding it themselves. This means they either have to explicitly search for it, or it needs to show up on search engine results. Even with SEO optimisation, the search phrase used has to match the wording on your website. This means only a small percentage of users will come across your website. And what’s the point of having an awesome website if no one sees it? However, you can use social media to drive traffic to your website. You can even customise posts so each one links to a specified landing page to showcase different elements e.g. a list of your services or your contact page.
- Outbound & Inbound Customer Targeting: Again, as a website relies on inbound traffic, only people actively searching for your brand or product will potentially become customers. Social media, on the other hand, allows you to find and target your core demographic. Messaging is placed in front of your selected audience, even if they have never heard of your brand. In addition, social media targeting uses advanced data and algorithms to determine other users that are likely to be interested in your business offering. This promotes customer growth and could even reveal new untapped customer groups.
- Sales: Social media can be used to drive online sales – both directly via a social platform, as well as by channeling traffic to your website. It can also be used to generate in-store sales through marketing and advertising messages. Studies show that a multiple-touchpoint approach is effective in driving sales, and social media is an integral part of the client journey. It also supports the non-linear way in which content is consumed – its about speaking to the right person at the right time with the right message. Ads on social media play a huge part in influencing purchasing decisions. In fact, statistics show that 90% of shoppers use social media to research products and services as part of purchase decision-making (Sprout.com). In terms of a basic marketing rule of thumb, 6-8 touchpoints are required to convert a sale. Social media speeds up this process, and as a result, can shorten the entire sales cycle for businesses.
- Client-focused approach: Social media is customer-centric by nature, and able to achieve customer experience goals. For example, by communicating directly with clients when it comes to customer service tasks, or publishing value-rich content such as articles or tips. This enhances customer satisfaction and leads to an increase in both sales and client retention.
- Location & Convenience: Social media is where your customers are – and therefore where you should be. It is where consumers research brands, consume content and even make purchases. Customers also prefer to interact with businesses via social media when it comes to queries and customer service requirements. Consumer preference of using mobile devices for online activity makes social media a convenient option as it is highly optimised for mobile.
- Relevant content: Unlike website content which is quite generalised, social media allows you to send targeted information to relevant market segments. For example, marketing your men’s range to men, and women’s range to women. Post links can be used to direct users to the related section of your website instead of them having to navigate. When needed, social media content can be adjusted with ease to ensure constant relevancy. Making changes to website content is a less viable process.
To summarise, a static website alone does little to aid in marketing, customer satisfaction or business goals. On its own, it is just not enough for online visibility. However, by integrating it with social media activities, you can develop a strategy that meets both client demands and brand objectives. Social media also provides data and insight into customer behaviour, promoting informed business decision-making. The convenience, responsiveness and value-rich approach of social media position the business as being client-centric. And as customer behaviour indicates, a positive image boosts brand affinity and, ultimately, sales. Coupled with its advanced marketing and business functionality, social media is vital for brand visibility and growth.
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