11 overlooked social media benefits for business
Retail, food, entertainment and real estate are just a few industries that can benefit from having a social media presence. Brands are leveraging social media to support their lead generation and business goals, but the beauty of social media is that it encompasses several purposes.
Here are 11 social media management benefits that often fly under the radar for modern businesses.
1. Uncover industry trends in real-time
Social media is a goldmine of business intelligence. Think about the transparent nature of it. We’re able to see unfiltered, real-time conversations between consumers and brands alike. If you want to know what a brand is doing well or what customers are complaining about, it’s out there in the open.
Also, your target audience’s social activity and shared content can clue you in on industry trends. For example, Instagram hashtags such as #summerootd can highlight everything from relevant influencers and content creators to fashion trends.
You can also use social listening to tap into those trends via social conversations.
For example, Sprout has a trend reporting feature that enables you to hone in on what customers are saying about your brand. You can track key terms and hashtags associated with your business, but these mentions and hashtags represent more than online chatter.

For example, social conversations can reveal everything from customer favorites to areas where your company is falling short. A flurry of praise or customer complaints can spur you to take action based on follower feedback. In turn, brands can come up with real-time solutions and products that their customers will buzz about.
2. Comprehensive competitive analysis
Perhaps one of the most valuable social media business benefits is the ability to study your competitors. You can use competitor analysis tools to help you understand your competition.
What are they currently promoting? What sort of ads are they running? How is your content strategy different from theirs?
By conducting social competitive analysis, you can uncover opportunities to experiment with your own content or advertising. Read More…