Social media in 2018: How to keep up with social media tools

Countless companies worldwide know how important social media is to marketing strategy. One thing they often overlook. however, is how quickly the state of social media marketing can change. Trends constantly evolve, particularly as channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram continue introducing new solutions and algorithms to keep their users happy.

If you want to make the most out of social media in 2018, then it’s no longer enough to simply set up a profile on a handful of platforms and hope for the best. You must assess your audience, listen to trends, and respond to marketplace changes.

How do you do this? With social media tools of course.

The value of social media In 2018

Every interaction or conversation you have with a potential lead on social media is a new opportunity for the modern business. Fail to take advantage, and you could miss out on many opportunities to reach out and connect with the clients you care about. The statistics on social media speak for themselves:

  • In the 2018 State of Social Media report, Buffer found that 96% of businesses use Facebook, 89% use Twitter, 70% use LinkedIn, and 70% use Instagram. This means that if you’re not already on social media, your competitors probably are.
  • The average user spends about 2 hours on social media each day (maybe more), which means that it’s probably the best platform for you to connect with your customers.
  • Customers also spend as much as 20–40% more on companies that connect with them over their favourite social media channels. That means that not only do you open yourself up to more customers when you’re active on social media but also you access an opportunity for bigger sales.

While all these statistics are great, the thing that often makes social media so effective is its data. The sheer amount of information you can collect from your social media interactions is staggering, and every insight makes your marketing campaigns more compelling. Yet, because there’s so much data to work through, it’s difficult for any company to go through it manually. That’s part of what makes social media tools so effective.

Embracing the power of social media tools

The right social media marketing tools helps your company develop stronger relationships with your customers, so you accomplish amazing results. The problem is that there are so many tools out there to explore, that it can be hard to figure out what you must do to empower your team. An effective social media marketing tool could help you explore your information more effectively. It could also automate your posts, so you spend less time posting and more time connecting with customers.

The question is, how do you choose the right social media tool for your business? This infographic on the top social media tools will help you to determine the perfect solution for your company in no time.

By Kim Siever

I am a copywriter and copyeditor. I blog on writing and social media tips mostly, but I sometimes throw in my thoughts about running a small business. Follow me on Twitter at @hotpepper.