Social Media Marketing Advice for Small Business Owners

3/16/2021 (Permalink)

No matter the size of your business, with social media there is unlimited potential to connect to new and existing customers, establish your brand, an

While trying to grow your small business, it is absolutely crucial to harness the power of social media marketing. On any given day, there are 4.2 billion active social media users. Especially a for a small business, these billions of users present an opportunity to connect with potential consumers and foster these relationships, create an online presence to build brand awareness, and generate profit.

Here are 10 pieces of key advice to tackle social media marketing:

Plan Your Social Media Goals

To make the most out of your social media, create a game plan for different platforms. With clear goals, you will be able to measure your return on investment and objectively evaluate your progress. Make sure your goals are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-specific.) If your brand is already utilizing social media, conduct an audit of current metrics and evaluate areas that need improvement.

Another great tool to take advantage of in terms of planning is a social media calendar. Instead of random posting, curated and targeted content is key is building a brand and a strong online presence. Many online accounts follow the 80/20 rules, meaning that 80% of your content aims to inform, educate, or entertain and the other 20% consists of promoting or selling your products.

Know Your Audience

The world of social media can be overwhelming, so it is very important understand your target consumer and the best ways to reach them. The first step of this can be deciding which platforms are most useful for your brand. There are many demographics online where you can learn about the age range and other characteristics of social media users per platform.

Also, use analytics to investigate data on your consumers to see who is interacting with you online. With a defined target audience, your company will be able to decide if Instagram, Facebook, or Tiktok, or maybe a combination of the three, is the best way to reach your audience.

Build a Community

One of the most beneficial uses of social media for a small business is creating a loyal group of customers. You can use features on Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok to engage and interact with your followers, answering questions and building a sense of trust and community. This can be done by partnering with micro-influencers, responding to comments, reposting stories of your followers, and using polls.

In additional to building a loyal fan base, social media sites measure engagement on your posts which fuels the algorithm. By creating community and conversation online, you will gain increased exposure on the platform. Establishing these relationships can also produce brand loyalty and increased sales over time.

Keep Up with the Competition

Social media is constantly evolving, and it is important to keep up with what others are posting.  Additionally, learning from what others have done with their social media channels can be a great starting point by learning what does and does not work. Establishing relationships with other brands can also lead to mutually beneficial posts.

No matter the size of your business, with social media there is unlimited potential to connect to new and existing customers, establish your brand, and grow your profits.