Even when you shut your eyes and think intently, it’s hard to imagine businesses marketing, engaging, and even existing without the internet and social media marketing platforms. Using social media marketing is such an integral part of everyday business that it’s nearly impossible to imagine that there could be digital and social skeptics around, however, there remain to be a few.
We know you’re aware of social media marketing, the strategies behind it, and why it’s important to include it in your business, but have you ever looked at the facts and figures that explain these even further? We put together a bit of recap of the social media marketing numbers you need to know, how social media can affect your business, and the facts and figures behind the strategy.
Online Users – The Numbers You Didn’t Know You Needed
It’s obvious to anyone who lives in the modern world that most of the people around them have an online presence – surely, it’s easy to recognize that almost everyone you can think of has a Facebook page, and Instagram account, or at least a Twitter profile. But it’s probably hard to imagine the actual, concrete number. Over 3/4s of the adult population in the United States are using social media sites, according to the Pew Internet Project. Statistically, that’s 81 percent of people in the United states, but also about 1.96 billion social media users worldwide. What’s even more wild? That number is expected to grow to about 2.5 billion by 2018.
Do Businesses with An Online Presence See Increased Business?
Even a direct “yes” as an answer to this question is a dramatic understatement. Businesses with social media marketing and an online presence see a giant increase in exposure and improved sales numbers. Concrete numbers and results are supporting the idea that a social media presence can help your business. In fact, over 90 percent of businesses who implement social media strategy in their marketing plans see incredible increases in exposure and sales, busting any myths about ROI not improving because of social media. Social media platforms are direct connections with your customers. It can help streamline your service, engage your users, and interact with them to create brand loyalty. According to the McKinsey Global Institute Report, social technologies can unlock $1.3 trillion in business value for companies worldwide. Most marketers who use social media marketing tactics say that they’re developing loyal fans and gaining marketplace intelligence, with about 77 percent of companies reporting that increased traffic to their social sites was another major benefit of using social media in their business.
Social Media by the Numbers: Other Figures You Should Be Familiar With
According to the Social Media Examiner, more than 96 percent of businesses in their study were found to be participating in social media marketing and engagement – are you? Part of that 96 percent could be your direct competitors, people in your industry who are trying every avenue to increase their exposure and their sales numbers. More than that, 92 percent of marketers said that social media was a crucial factor to their business, with nearly 42 percent agreeing that they’re able to measure their social media’s effect on their return on investment. If you’re considering adding social media activities into your marketing plan, it’s important to note that over 64 percent of marketers are using social media for 6 hours or more, weekly. But that time isn’t fruitless – more than half of marketers who’ve been using social media for at least two years aid that it’s helped them improve their sales, increased their exposure, generated new leads, grew business partnerships, improved their search rankings, developed loyal fans, and decreased their marketing expenditures
It’s hard to deny the benefits of social media marketing activation, engagement, and analysis when you look at the facts and figures. Social media is the ultimate tool to benefit your business for a multitude of reasons – it’s relatively inexpensive comparatively, with finely-tuned abilities to engage specific demographics while also maintaining the ability to reach a large audience. With nearly 2 billion people online, it’s beyond important to establish a strong, interactive social presence.