Whether you run a business online or in a physical space, web presence is everything these days, and the connection between social media and marketing is even more crucial for all types of businesses. While online marketing tactics can vary, from having a high quality professional web design to using good website SEO, social media marketing is an easy — and affordable — way to make an impact online. Many businesses today are choosing to use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and blogging sites to connect with their customers.

So what is the connection between social media and marketing? Although many people consider social media websites to be useful for killing time only, they have plenty of value when it comes to how they can be used for the purpose of advertising. How should you tailor your social media marketing campaign? Here are some ideas for how any business can utilize some of these fun and popular platforms.

Facebook
Facebook allows users to “like” your business’s page, and from there they can interact with your brand by commenting on your posts and posting to the page itself. It’s a great way to share photos of your business, announce events and promotions, and link to your website. With well over a billion users, Facebook is a must for all businesses.

Twitter
Twitter is a “microblogging” site where each post (or “tweet”) consists of 140 characters or less. Twitter is a good promotional tool and is also ideal for photo sharing. Twitter also has over a billion users and is good for short interactions with customers.

Pinterest
Pinterest lets users “pin” pictures, recipes, and other content to their “pinboards” — kind of like a virtual inspiration board. This tool is especially good for connecting with shoppers (both online and offline) who like to get ideas for buying clothing, accessories, and home decor items. Over 80% of Pinterest users are female.

Blogging
A website that has a regularly updated blog is more likely to rank higher in a search engine, and on average, sites with blogs have around 400% more indexed pages than sites without blogs. Blogging is great for giving more in-depth information to your customers — stuff that won’t fit into a tweet or a Facebook post. Customers can interact with your blog by leaving comments. An example of a versatile blogging platform is WordPress, which can easily be integrated with your website.

Have more questions about social media and marketing online? Check with an advertising agency for more information on how you can use these platforms to reach the right audience. Some agencies even have social media marketing services that can provide you with guidance, content, and statistics to help you track your progress. Still want more info? Leave a comment below, or tell us about how you’ve used social media for your business. Find out more here.