We all know social media has the ability to quickly reach many people. Social media entertains, educates, and informs daily. Most of us have become so accustom to social media in our lives today that we don’t even notice it. We consume our news, talk to our friends, engage with our customers and business associates, and share life’s ups and downs with a large audience quicker then picking up the phone, sending an e-mail or text message.
The “power” of social media has never been more evident in my life then this past week. I decided to check my Facebook “just one more time” before going to bed this past Thursday evening only to read that my beloved Pastor Skip Haymans had passed away, suddenly and unexpectedly. Within minutes my Facebook stream was filled with posts from my contacts and people I didn’t even know who were engaging and tagging those I did know. People were sharing information, memories, or simply disbelief and at that moment I got a birdseye view of just how quickly and widespread the power of social media was, here, even in my little world.
While many reading this probably have experienced the power of social first hand, I am certain many others have not. The point of this post is two-fold ~ from a marketing standpoint this is a powerful reminder of the effectiveness of social media marketing for your business. To get “the word out” and to market your products and services. If you are not using social media to market your business, or are using it incorrectly, you are missing out on some valuable reach to your current and potential customers. Yes, businesses, like people, abuse and exploit these platforms for reasons other than what was originally intended. But like all technology, it can be used for good or for evil.