How to Leverage Social Media to Boost Your Business
When you’re a small business owner, social media marketing is just one task on a very long to-do list. But love it or loathe it, social media for business is going nowhere. And if you haven’t yet considered a social media strategy, you might be missing out on valuable advertising channels – and did I mention it’s free?
Why is social media important for most businesses?
According to research, 55% of consumers learn about new brands on socials. Traditional advertising channels are still popular (like TV or print ads, for example), but it couldn’t be easier or more cost-effective to connect with your customers directly online.
The beauty of social media is that it’s a dialogue between you and your audience. It empowers your readers and allows them to interact with your brand, whether that’s leaving a review, reporting issues or privately messaging you with a question.
Finally, it allows you to reach a wider audience. You can share information about your business quickly, and in a cost-effective way! More awareness often leads to more followers, more sign-ups for your services and offerings, and higher conversion rates. Not bad, right?
How to begin your social media journey
It’s all well and good to understand why it’s important. But where do you even start? With countless platforms to choose from and only so many hours in the day, it can feel overwhelming. So here are some of my golden rules for harnessing social media:
Know your audience
Before you even set up that Instagram account, write down who you’re doing it for. Who exactly is your ideal customer? What do they like? Where do they hang out? Make a list of your customer personas and be as detailed as you can. Write down their age, gender, occupation, income, hopes, fears, aspirations… You get the point.
It’s only once you’ve defined your target audience that you can create enjoyable, meaningful and relevant content for them.
Choose the right social media platform
There are so many great platforms out there, but you don’t have to be on all of them. In fact, choose just one or two, and do them well. Showing up on every platform just because you think you should just isn’t sustainable. Figure out where your target audience hangs out the most, and go from there.
Make sure it’s tailor-made
Once you’ve decided which platform works for you, tailor your content to the specific channel. Sure, you don’t want to ask your Facebook followers for a retweet, but it goes deeper than that! It’s so important to adjust your copy to each platform. You might not resonate the same way with your target audience on B2B platform LinkedIn as you would on Instagram.
Some platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, allow for fairly long captions – far longer than Twitter! But don’t view the character limit as a target you should meet. It’s a maximum. Leave your ramblings for when you’re venting to your mates! 😅
Create a solid social media strategy
In this game, strategy is everything. You need to set clear goals and objectives – what do you want your efforts to accomplish? Maybe you want to increase brand awareness, or generate leads. Maybe you want to promote customer loyalty. Whatever it is, this is your north star, and you should develop a content strategy around this.
Next, it’s time to establish a consistent brand voice and identity. If your brand were a person, what would it be like? How would it speak? Writing down what your brand stands for, as well as what it doesn’t stand for, might help!
You’ll need a content plan that includes a mix of engaging and valuable posts, such as informative articles, images, videos, and more interactive elements like quizzes. Don’t forget to engage with your audience – ask questions, look for their opinions, and see what resonates with them. Don’t forget to reply to comments and messages, too!
Track your results
Find metrics that work for you. Remember: 1,000 followers who are engaged and interested in your services are worth so much more than 10,000 followers who aren’t! Go back to your goals – are you seeing the results you hoped? If not, time to reassess your work and see what can be changed. Check analytics on your social media platforms, as well as Google Analytics on your website. Always adjust your strategy based on your data!
Need some support?
Being a small business owner is no walk in the park. But with the right tools, social media marketing can be a game changer. If you’re struggling to keep up with the latest trends, why not get in touch? As an experienced social media copywriter, I can help you plan a strategy and get those words on a page.