If you haven’t already, please take a minute to read our previous post discussing our current blog series and what all you can expect to read over the next few weeks!

Value of Social Media

Alright, to kick things off, let’s get to talking about the value of social media. Words like “follow us” and “like this” are buzzwords that virtually drive the entire online world these days. If you are redesigning your website, you should highly consider the value of integrating your social media channels with the site. Don’t have social media? While we recommend you reconsider your decision, fear not: you can utilize a blog! We can’t stress enough the importance of connecting with your audience on a personal level, and the best way to do so is through social media and blogging.

Layout is Everything

So you are probably thinking why is it so important to have your social media channels easily accessible on your site? In our opinion, your website and social media channels should work seamlessly together to provide your customers with relevant timely content, constantly. This provides endless opportunities to reach potential customers and expand your brand. “Location, location, location” is the key to success.

If you are using social media icons to advertise the platforms you have, you need to be strategic in where you place them on the website. Think about your target audience. Are they going to stay on your site for a long time? Or are they just there to get quick information and leave. Everybody has a different audience, so this is not an easy question to answer. Ultimately, the goal is to have your site designed so that your social media and blog channels are easily seen and accessible to your intended audience.

Generate Conversations

The goal of any social media platform is to engage in conversations with others. We recommend you not only advertise your social presence via icons, but also consider embedding the platforms into the design of the website. By embedding the platforms directly into the site, you open up numerous opportunities for your consumers to not only see your content, but also engage with it while staying on your site. This goes the same for blogging. If you are writing relevant content but not giving your readers an opportunity to interact, you are missing out on a lot of the conversation.

We highly recommend you consider the above recommendations so that your customers are not only seeing your social and blog postings, but are also prompted with ways to join the conversation.

Wrapping It Up

In summary, social media and blogging are two great ways to connect with your audience on a more intimate and personal level. It is important that your website is designed with this in mind, so you are not missing out on opportunities to grow your brand online. Keep in mind that it’s one thing to HAVE social media, it’s another thing to USE it effectively. Make an effort to develop a social media strategy and use these channels efficiently, as they can be detrimental to your brand if neglected. Take this seriously, as it can add a ton of value to your brand.