The benefits of social media marketing are often hard to quantify in the same way as other marketing campaigns, but if done properly social media marketing is an amazing tool that is virtually free. Using social media requires a marketing plan and setting it up properly but there are several benefits that you will reap for such as: reach, branding, and feedback. Let's delve into these benefits and explore them a little bit further.

Reach

There are very few mediums in the world that have the potential to reach the millions of people that are actively engaged in social media. With the latest data there are over half a billion active users on Facebook alone that are one-click away from you. Even if you were to advertise all over the mainstream media for the entire United States there are only 300 million residents in the country and cost you a fortune in the process. The amazing feature of social media is that it is still growing and you are able to reach out and cultivate your brand with all of these people.

Branding

What used to take millions of dollars and years to create a successful brand can now be accomplished, if done correctly, just using social media marketing in a few months. With the ability to share things with people's networks with one-click there has never been a faster way to expose and form a brand. This power comes with a similarly dangerous risk as bad news or branding can be formed just as fast. Listening to the feedback becomes paramount in order to make sure that you create the image that you are looking to have.

Feedback

Engaging people in a conversation will help you to find out information about your brand or products much faster than ever before. Allowing an open dialogue and being transparent about your intentions to do better for your customers will create a more positive image and experience for future customers. Social media can provide this information in hours and virtually for free, if you are willing to engage and give value for people's opinions.

Using social media can yield tons of benefits if you engage people on their terms. There is nowhere else that you can have the reach that is currently available (and ever expanding) than social media. Engaging and listening to your community will create a stronger and more likeable brand that you can build on and further promote using social media. The benefits are amazing so what are you waiting for?