We live in a digital world where consumers crave ongoing relationships with brands. Social media allows us to have conversations massively, from a single tweet that goes viral to a Facebook status update that accidentally gets shared with the public, we can now share our thoughts and opinions about a brand at the moment.

You’ve probably heard the saying: 'If you’re not on social media, someone else is representing your brand.' Whether you want to take that literally or not, it’s true. It might be a competitor of yours or even a random person who knows you don’t have a social media presence yet.

Social media marketing in Kenya has revolutionized the way companies reach out to their customers. When you use social media, you gain exclusive access to post your thoughts or build a community around your brand.

Here's how you can use social media marketing to boost your company's profits.

Know your target audience

Knowing your target audience is the first step to being able to serve them better.  Here are some helpful tips on identifying your target audience:

1. What do they like? By asking yourself this question, you can find out what your customers like to do and what they enjoy spending money on.

2. Where do they live? Where does your business operate? Do you have a physical location or are you an online retailer? Knowing where your audience lives will help determine how best to reach them. For example, if you operate in multiple counties you may find that having an online presence is best for reaching your audience because it allows them to connect with you from anywhere in the country without needing to travel far from home.

3. How old are they? The age of your customer base can determine whether or not social media platforms are appropriate for reachingthem such as Facebook and Instagram which are popular among older generations while younger generations prefer platforms such as Twitter and TikTok which cater more towards Gen Zers and Millennials.

Drive traffic to your website

You're losing out on naturally produced traffic if you don't have a strong social media presence. This means that your traffic comes from the same small group of people who are already following you.

Once you’ve invested time in social media marketing and built a sizeable audience, you can redirect the traffic to your website resulting in more conversions.

Build important connections with your clients

Social media is a must for businesses today. It gives you the opportunity to build trust with your customers and develop loyal clients.

The way that you engage with your clients through social media can greatly improve the overall experience they have. By sharing interesting content, providing helpful tips and answering questions, you can turn customers into advocates who will love to recommend your brand to their friends, family, and other potential customers.

The increased social conversation about brands gives companies an opportunity to not just tell their story, but also be a part of the conversation. How does your company react to a negative conversation online? Do you even respond? Clearly define how you want to handle each situation and any new tools used to aid in the process will only amplify the response. The internet speaks and it's important to pay attention.