With eCommerce sales reaching an all-time high in 2012, companies are trying everything possible to sustain their success and drive more consumers to their websites. Enhanced website design from a professional website development company, search engine optimization (SEO), and dynamic content are all ways to accomplish this. In addition, many businesses have also begun developing a social media strategy.

Social media users total millions throughout the world, and people are more connected to these accounts than ever before with the rise of smartphones and mobile devices. A company that also has social media accounts on sites like Twitter or Facebook, will likely have a greater chance of attracting users. In fact, of the 88% of users that researched products online in 2012, about half of them followed up on social media before making a purchase.

A Facebook page allows a user to get quick facts about a company’s products or services, and gives them insight into how many people \”like\” the page. If the user decides to \”like\” the page, this action will show up on their friends’ homepage, which might prompt other users to visit the page as well. A user can also suggest the page to friends, increasing a an account’s exposure. Similarly, the number of followers a company has on Twitter can positively impact traffic to its website and give users a chance to communicate with others about their impression of the site.

When developing a social media strategy, the importance of blogging cannot be overlooked. Companies that blog have 424% more indexed pages than ones that do not, and these websites also attract 55% more traffic. After creating high quality content for the blog, promoting posts on social media is one of the best ways to get consumers to visit a website. Re-posting portions of the content on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media outlets urges users to finish reading the post and explore a company’s site.

While social media is not the only way to appeal to consumers, it is becoming one of the fastest ways to do so. Some users are connected to their social media accounts 24 hours a day, and constantly check their phones for updates. Working with a web design company, as well as a marketing company that offers social media services, businesses can remain competitive in the ever-growing eCommerce market, and sustain their success. To see more, read this.