Running a small business? Then, you should be using social media to reach new customers. If you’re not, you could be missing out on a huge opportunity. This article will teach you how to use social media for small businesses.
Start with a plan
Before you start a social media campaign, you need to decide what you’re going to post and when. If you’ve never used social media, or if it has been a while since your last campaign, start by mapping out what you want to achieve. The plan should include the types of posts (text, images, video) you plan on making and when (time of day, week) they will be published.
Decide which platforms are right for you
There are many social media platforms out there. Decide which ones you want to focus on and plan accordingly. Not all platforms are a good fit for every business, so decide which ones work best for you. For example, if your marketing campaign focuses on sharing photos and videos of your products, you’ll want to focus on social media sites like Instagram and Vine.
Know your audience
You might think that everyone uses social media, but the reality is far from it. Make sure you find out which platforms your customers are using. If they’re not on Facebook, then sending them an ad won’t be very effective (and vice versa). You can research this by running some competitor analysis or asking around at your place of business.
Expand your audience
Once you’ve identified which platforms your target audience is using, focus on expanding your reach there. If they are on Instagram but not Facebook, focus first on growing your followers on IG before moving over to FB. Once you have a large following in one place, use it as leverage to build up the other (and vice versa).
Of course, if you really want to expand your audience, you may have to work hard to expand your services, too. Just like you did when finding your first audience, think about their needs. If you are a marketing agency, for example, you could consider being a reseller of white label social media management software from SOCi to help you in this stage. You can appeal to all those seeking this type of software to boost their online profile and expand your audience without doing very much.
Build relationships
It’s not all about you. While it’s important to share content related to your business, social media is also a great place for building relationships with potential customers. You can do this by sharing tips or posting videos that show how your products are made. Be sure to engage with people who comment on your posts as well. Just remember to keep it professional.
Pay attention to trends
Social media changes fast. Keep up with the latest news and trends in social media by following industry experts, reading articles, and participating in discussions on LinkedIn groups or Q&A sites like Quora. You can also subscribe to a social media newsletter that will send you regular updates about trending topics and new tools in your area of focus.
Mix up your formats
A single social media format isn’t always the best choice. Don’t be afraid to mix it up by using different types of posts at different times throughout the day. This will keep your audience engaged and help you reach a broader audience.
Focus on quality over quantity
Don’t try to rush things. If you’re posting too frequently, your audience might get annoyed and unfollow/unlike you, but if they don’t see anything from you for a while, they will forget you. Aim for somewhere in the middle of these two extremes by creating content regularly throughout the day without going overboard.