Small businesses have increasingly relied on social media marketing to reach customers, create brand awareness and drive sales over the past decade. Whether you’re just starting or have been in business for years, social media marketing can help your small business reach its full potential. To help you grow your small business through social media marketing, we’ve put together this list of nine tips that you can use in your next campaign.
1. Decide which platform best suits your business needs
If you want to expand your marketing reach, social media is a great place to start. Instagram is an excellent platform for businesses with visual products–like clothing or jewelry–to showcase their work. Twitter can be a powerful tool for building relationships and customer service. Facebook is the most popular platform on the web, so it’s worth experimenting with. Not only can you create a Facebook page for your company and post updates there, but you can also build a community around it by liking pages related to your work. This will bring in new followers who are interested in your industry.
2. Create a Strong Social Media Strategy
Start by researching your competition on all the major social media platforms. Look for what they’re doing, how often they post and what their posts look like. By reviewing their work, you’ll be able to determine if you want to emulate them or branch out on your own. Once you’ve found a strategy that works for you, create a social media strategy with specific day-to-day tasks and goals outlined. You should be updating your social channels throughout the week rather than just once per week. Posting more often keeps people interested in what you have to say, leads them back to your site and creates a more engaging experience for readers.
3. Create original and engaging content
Every day, companies put out new content, trying to outdo their competitors and bring more attraction to their business. This can be anything from a picture to a short video to a podcast. There are countless ways to produce appealing views that are relevant to your business. Making sure your page is filled with original images and videos can help make you more recognizable by allowing potential customers to get a glimpse into the personality of the brand behind it.
Platforms are always changing, so as a new business, you have to jump in and start building your pages.
4. Engage With Your Followers
Once you have a following, start posting helpful content. However, simply posting links or media won’t help you grow your social media presence. You need to interact with your audience in order to start grabbing their interest. Make sure that you respond to their posts or comment on theirs if they comment on yours.
The idea is to connect with your audience and make them feel connected to your brand. Only then will they be interested in learning more about it.
5. Leverage Paid Social Media Advertising
Paid social media advertising is an effective way to reach a wider audience, drive traffic to your website and build a loyal customer base. Social media platforms offer various advertising options such as sponsored posts and social media ads. Determine your budget and create compelling ad copy and visuals to attract potential customers.
6. Collaborate with influencers
Collaborating with influencers can be a great way to leverage one another’s following, grow your social media presence and attract more customers. It’s important to find a pairing that makes sense and is relevant to your industry. For example, if you run a beauty salon, partnering with a hairstylist would make more sense than partnering with an accountant. Not only are they in different industries but they also don’t target the exact demographics of people that you’re trying to reach on social media. Other companies that may pair well with yours include those in similar fields such as trade show vendors, suppliers and manufacturers.”
7. Stay Up-To-Date With Social Media Trends
The social media landscape is constantly evolving and changing, so it’s important to stay up-to-date and learn about new trends and features. Follow industry thought leaders, attend webinars and join conferences so you can stay informed about social marketing strategies.
In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of any small business marketing strategy. By defining your target audience, creating a strong social media strategy, developing engaging content, leveraging paid social media advertising, engaging with your followers, measuring your results, and staying up-to-date with social media trends, you can effectively grow your small business with social media marketing.
