What value do social media strategies bring to a small or local business?

For some, this may not seem like a puzzling issue. Early adopters of social media strategies would argue that any business, large or small, needs social media strategies in place in order to be competitive. But early adopters are still a minority, and there are plenty of small businesses that are still looking at social media as an added cost that may be difficult to measure. The majority of people still think that social media is confined to Twitter and Facebook, and may have little value for a business, again, large or small. So where exactly does the value of social media strategies lie for small business? Below are three areas in which social media gives small businesses an edge that their competition might not have.

1. Establish yourself as an expert both at home and away.

Social media provides a previously unexplored avenue for individuals and businesses that allows them to establish themselves as experts at a much faster rate and across a much wider audience. Take, for example, a local mechanic who specializes in European cars. Sure, people in town may know he the best when it comes to their import, and word of mouth helps his business, but there is a ceiling to how much business he can produce with a finite clientele. Enter social media, or, word of mouse. If the mechanic can establish himself as one of the foremost experts when it comes to repairing imported cars in the social world, previously unexplored avenues open up to him that would have otherwise been ignored.

2. Offer unique incentives to your social media audience.

One common concern when it comes to implementing social media strategies, particularly for small businesses, is the perceived difficulty with measuring the return from a program. While there are a number of ways to measure social media success, none is easier than creating promotions and offers exclusive to your social clientele. this both incentivizes your followers and friends on social networks to become active clients, and allows you to see how successful your social media strategies are by measuring the return on a campaign.

3. Engage with leads and customers in an entirely new way.

One issue customers must deal with when it comes to purchasing a product or service is the impersonal touch that comes with big brand customer service. Social media for small business allows one to engage on a one-on-one level and make any lead or customer feel like they are the most important facet of the company. (After all, customers are what make a company successful.) Social engagement changes the concept of customer service. No longer must a customer type a dozen numbers into a keypad before speaking to a call center representative. Using social media, small business can address client issues immediately and, more importantly, show the world their high-quality customer care, which in turn will translate into more customers.

These three points are essential when it comes to developing social media strategies for small businesses, and they show just how important social media is for any business – big, small, local or international. What do you think? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below or tell us on Twitter!