Over the past ten years, the growth of social media websites has been phenomenal. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter were originally established to enable individuals from around the world to chat to one another, exchange photos and videos, and share experiences. More recently, however, the world of commerce has begun to see the huge advantages to be gained by having an online presence. Today, no self-respecting entrepreneur would think of trying to establish a new venture without having a page on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or LinkedIn. In Nigeria there is a whole host of other social media sites aimed at serving both domestic and trans-African consumers.
One of the key advantages if you are involved in a startup company is that setting up a social media page is significantly easier and cheaper than establishing a website. Yet doing so offers your fledgling enterprise exposure to a global audience that just a few short years ago would have been unimaginable.
One point to be aware of is that if you design a page and/or write your own blogs or other online content, you need to be careful about what the page looks like and how interesting, relevant and attractive the content is. Remember, whatever you write could be seen and read by thousands of potential customers, so be prepared to employ a professional to edit and proofread any content you propose posting. A quick search of the internet will reveal numerous companies that specialize in writing and editing articles and others that will set up a page on a selection of social media websites for just a small fee.
Having the ability to promote your company’s products and services to so many people in a remarkably short period of time makes social media the most effective and economical form of advertising there is. Think about it; for a minimal outlay, even if you are setting up a one person business, you can get yourself noticed by your target customer base within a matter of hours. Having the ability to promote your company so quickly brings nearer the day you make your first profit and ensures your business is more likely to expand and increase profitability over the longer term.