In the United Kingdom, there are a whopping 56.2 million active Britons on social media, which is about 82.8% of the population. That statistic reveals that almost everyone in the UK uses social media for various reasons, in some form or fashion. Social media has an interesting story in the UK, and like many places, its rise to popularity and codependence did not happen overnight. The UK’s first introduction to social media was in 1997 with the launch of Six Degrees. Since the early days of social media, when it was less advanced than the popular sites we have today, platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn have evolved. They are no longer only places to connect with new and old friends, family near or far, to catch up on the latest news, or to simply pass the time. Social media has become a significant source of income and financial opportunity.
Big brands used to spend millions on television and radio commercials, billboards, and newspaper advertisements, but social media has now become the primary platform for marketing. In 2023, social media ad spending in the UK reached £7.7 billion and is projected to grow to £8.8 billion by 2025. When we consider the amount of time people spend on social media, it’s clear that businesses are making wise investments by advertising their products and services on these platforms. In the UK, the average social media user spends about one hour and 49 minutes each day across 6.4 different social media platforms. This provides brands with numerous opportunities for their products to be viewed, experienced, and engaged with by both current and potential customers, spanning multiple generations at once.
Because of the social media algorithms and the power of social networks, when your products go viral, your brand becomes its own celebrity. And that’s why so many brands are on social media — to sell and make money. But what about the social connections and community aspect of these digital spaces? How are we ensuring that businesses don’t take the social out of social media? How can we ensure brands aren’t catering only to their bottom line and shareholders but also to their customers… you know, the humans?
We know that social media is popular for so many reasons — the viral and visibility component, the economic impact, ad revenue, and influencer market have allowed your average Briton to become their own celebrity. However, when not mindful, social media use can cause unintentional harm. When businesses aren’t careful, they can harm their brand image. When a business becomes a brand, it’s because it has a solid reputation that drives loyalty. When a business’s reputation is harmed, it can be challenging to recover. Social media can play a major role in shaping your business’s reputation, and leveraging it for your brand’s benefit is one effective strategy. Still, your brand image could suffer tremendously when not used correctly or with the right intentions.
Putting the social back in social media is easy. All businesses have to do is care. Care about being intentional about using ad money ethically. Treat your social media page like a brick-and-mortar store. Every interaction on social media is part of your customer experience. The same way your customers expect to be treated when face-to-face is how your social media interactions should be. Brands should consider creating a strategic social media experience that mirrors your in-store customer experience. This way, your potential and existing customers alike feel just as connected to your brand online as they do in-store.
Connecting socially, whether in-person or online, should be done with extreme respect and consideration for all users. Your brand’s energy should be the same with every experience. Create a community, consider using hashtags, and hire a dedicated social media team to ensure the communications exchanged, whether via direct messages or comments, that the voice is a person who is also communicating your brand’s mission and vision. Be both active and authentic. Use real people along with relatable photos. Your content on social media should reflect YOUR brand’s image and essence.
The last thing businesses should do is avoid using social media to be social. We must remain mindful that social media is yet another tool to connect, not just another way to make money.