68% of U.S. adults use Facebook and 74% of those adults visit the site at least once a day.

Social Media has changed the way we communicate with our friends and families, it has changed the way with connect with people, it has changed the way we get news and information, and it has changed the way we find products and services.

When we look past the funny cat videos, baby pics, engagement announcements, weather updates, local news, etc. Facebook is important for businesses and can have a significant impact on business growth.

What started as a fun college site is now vital for online visibility and growing a customer base.

You Can Reach New People (and You Can Reach A Lot of Them)

Social Media Marketing is an excellent and easy way to spread your message and share your information. Updates posted on Facebook could potentially be seen by dozens, if not hundreds (or more) of people who may have never heard of your business.

An email message, text message, or postcard mailer will only reach those specific people who are already your audience. Social Media Marketing enables your business to generate new leads, encourage word-of-mouth referrals, and grow your customer base with an entirely new and fresh audience.

People Trust It

Social Media allows your business to tap into word-of-mouth marketing. Most people want to know the company they are hiring is trustworthy, does good work, or makes good products. Social Media allows people to ask their network of friends and family for referrals to trusted sources.

88% of consumers place the highest level of trust in recommendations from people they know.

Customer Service is Now Social

90% of Social Media users rely on their Social sites to communicate with brands and 65% expect companies to offer customer service through Social Media.

Even though you may not be using Social Media to market or advertise, your customers and potential customers are using (and your competitors and their customers are likely using it.) Whether or not you pay attention, people may be leaving reviews or sharing recommendations, and may even be sharing negative experiences with your business. If you aren’t there to manage it, you are missing an important opportunity to provide positive online branding.

If your business is not active on Social Media (or doesn’t respond to comments or questions) you could be losing sales.

Laura Donovan is the President of The Word Pro, a national digital marketing company. She is a graduate of North Central College with a degree in Organizational Communications, a discipline that has proved valuable in her Social Media endeavors. Laura been managing Facebook, Google+ and Twitter pages for small and… View full profile ›

This article was written for Business 2 Community by Laura Donovan.  Learn more about writing for B2C.