How to Use Social Media for Small Business Marketing
Marketing for your small business is what will allow you to continue doing what you love and are so good at!
By: Tatiana Cortes
Social media marketing is essential for small businesses nowadays because 3.8 billion people use social media. It is one of the best ways to connect with people who already love your brand and a way for reaching out to those who have not heard about your business yet.
It could seem overwhelming to dive into the social media marketing world. If you have not done it yet or if you have started your business marketing strategy already but would like some tips – We have put together an easy guide to social media for small business.
Start with a plan
Social media marketing tools for small businesses are easy to use. So, easy you might want to start posting right away. But just like any other thriving business, you must come up with good social media marketing small business strategies – A plan. Without a plan, there is no clear goal. Create a social media plan right away, this way all your social media marketing efforts will support specific business goals.
How does a social media for small business owners plan look like? Set social media SMART goals. They should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Research your competition and how are they using their social media. You don’t want to copy them but learning from what others have done is a great way to reduce your learning curve. If you are already using social media conduct an audit to evaluate your existing efforts and how can these be improved. Create a social media calendar that will help you post the right content to the right channels at the right time. Of course, you will need to do some research to learn what social media content calendar for small business best suits your business. Because each business is different, we don’t think there is a best social media scheduler for small business that would fit everyone’s business needs. We have heard Hootsuite is simple with a large number of features and you can try out the free version to see how you like it.
Decide Which Platforms are Right for You
Do not assume where your audience spends their time online. Research demographic information for all the major social networks. Once you have learned this information compare it to your specific audience, this will help you gauge which platforms are the best social media for small business marketing specific to your business.
Know Your Audience
Social media for business is so effective because you can micro-target your audience, so you need to understand who your audience is. With the compiled data you have gathered on your customers and social media analytics, you will have a solid picture of who is buying and interacting with you online. Once you know who your audience is, you can revisit your medial plan to look for ways to reach more people just like them. You can use the lookalike audiences feature (if that is the platform you are using) to reach new potential customers. A geo-search can also help you monitor and respond to local conversations about your business.
Share Compelling Visuals
Images shared on social media drive real-world action. Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat are visual-first networks. If your visuals are not interesting and engaging, no one will stop scrolling to read what you have to say.
Find the best hashtags to use
Hashtags are critical for social media; they can increase your reach tremendously and even incentivize costumers. You can start by researching a holiday calendar and hashtag upcoming holidays like #WorldEnvironmentDay or #nationalDonutDay.
Engage in conversations
Is a business posts something but no one responds, then Facebook will not show it to anyone – They only show stories/posts that people are interested in. This is also similar to other platforms. Ask questions and respond to answers!!
Do Not Try to Do It All Yourself
Your time is limited as a small business owner, so delegate social media work to someone or hire a social media manager for small business that can help you grow your business and utilize all the tools and exploit the opportunities of social platforms. You can add the cost to your social media strategy.