Social media has transformed the way businesses can talk to their customers, creating a simplified way to reach, engage and stay connected with a wider audience. The best part is, these benefits aren’t exclusive to big brands with bigger budgets. Every business can reap the rewards of social media.
Let’s discuss how!
Getting started
Like every promotional or marketing campaign, you’ll first need to develop a strategy that outlines your objectives. What do you want to achieve through your social media presence? Is it an increase in clients or sales? More traffic to your website? Or greater brand sentiment? Your objectives will become the foundation for how you launch into your social media strategy.
Next, decide on the platforms you want to use. Who is your target audience and where do they hang out? Are they predominantly Facebook users or new age Tik Tok fanatics? Establish where you should build your presence and don’t spread yourself too thin across every single platform.
It’s also useful to create a calendar that outlines what and when you’ll be posting. This will give you a holistic view of your content and ensure you’re covering all bases when it comes to reaching your audience with engaging content.
Who’s in charge?
You don’t necessarily need to hire a social media guru if you’re a small business, but it’s useful to allocate a team member to manage the accounts. If responsibility is left in the lurch, you could soon have tumbleweeds rolling through your feeds. If you struggle to find the time to post, try using a platform that enables you to schedule in advance. This will allow you to dedicate a set time to your social media each week and relieves the pressure of remembering to post every day.
Engage your audience
How exactly? With content they find useful, interesting, educational or entertaining. Your social posts should encourage engagement through comments and shares. Content can include images, videos, quizzes, polls, questions or links to articles on your website.
If your audience is commenting on your posts or asking questions, take the time to respond. This will boost your credibility and help to build strong customer relationships.
Maintain a consistent brand image
Social media is a strong tool when it comes to projecting your brand image to the world. While it’s important to tailor your content to suit the platform on which you’re posting; your brand image should remain consistent at all times.
What platforms should you consider?
As mentioned, it can be inefficient to market your business across every social media platform. Your audience research should provide a good indication of which platforms will be the most beneficial to you.
The top social media platforms to consider are:
- YouTube
- Tik Tok
Social media has many benefits for businesses including building brand awareness, connecting with customers and driving revenue. Do your research, take a look at how your competitors are playing in the space and dedicate some time to create content your audience will love.
Interested in other marketing trends to help grow your business? Learn more here.
