How Do Social Sharing Buttons Affect Your Small Business Website?
Social media has been around for a long time now. But, I'm still surprised at how many businesses and organizations have not yet jumped on the social media bandwagon. After all, if you're not there, your competitors are.
No matter what type of business you represent, there are probably numerous reasons users want to share your content on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. For example, if you're looking for new customers, there is no better way to find them than by sharing your website via social media. If you are a retailer, having users spread the word is one of the best ways to promote sales.
But there are many other reasons why social media sharing buttons are a necessary part of your website's design. The following are just some of those reasons:
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Most People Use Social Media
Most people who visit your site use at least one form of social media already, so why not make it easy to share your information on networks they already enjoy?
Social media is by no means just for young people. Sure, teenagers enjoy sites like Facebook and Twitter for chatting with friends and watching videos. But it's also functional for business professionals who need to maintain their professional reputation. Digg is a beloved site for readers who want to promote or share exciting articles they read online. LinkedIn is the place where you can make business connections with other professionals.
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Valuable For Businesses With Limited Resources
If you're a small business with limited resources, just adding social media sharing buttons to your site will already make you more visible online.
Because social media sharing buttons are free, adding them to your site is easy and inexpensive. These sharing buttons are helpful for sites that don't have a large number of visitors yet. At the same time, it's very inexpensive to maintain a Facebook page for your business or organization. So, if you have limited resources now, add social media sharing buttons to your site, so you can get a head start on shaping the story.
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A Way To Build An Online Community
In addition to adding social media sharing buttons, you should also add other ways users can connect with you online. You might be surprised at how many people will want to learn more about what you do and help spread the word if they feel like they are becoming a part of something special as a result.
Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin are just the first three choices in many people's minds. How about creating an online community? By providing regular updates on a site like www.meetup.com, you can attract new visitors who feel part of your organization or company. In some cases, you might even be able to provide incentives for users to spread your information online. Such incentives could include special deals or product discounts for those who post links to your website.
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Keep Up With The Times!
Social media is growing all the time– Twitter doubled its number of users from its creation, and Facebook acquired Instagram, which now has millions of users. Today social media sites are about more than just networking and keeping in touch with friends. Business professionals have used social media sites to make new connections that have led to job opportunities, partnerships, and even speaking engagements. Adding social media sharing buttons is a must for those who want to get ahead and stay on top of trends!
Bottomline
Social media sharing buttons are not just fun gadgets. Data show that the more times your website is shared, liked, or tweeted, the higher it will rank in search engines and social media sites. Businesses of all sizes can benefit from including social sharing buttons on each web page, but ensuring they are integrated into every aspect of your site design will be vital to its success.
