The Numbers Don’t Lie
There’s a reason why large companies invest a lot of money into managing their social media account and content: it’s effective. Even small and medium-sized businesses are taking advantage of social media marketing to promote their products and services better. But instead of giving you a long speech to persuade your company to also join in the practice of social media marketing, here are some numbers that you’d want to know:
There are 3.2 billion social media users, and Facebook is currently the market leader with over 2.32 billion active monthly users, (2) 73% of marketers believe that their marketing efforts through social media have been effective for their business, and (3) 54% of social media users use the platform to look up products, reviews, and recommendations. That said, let’s take a look at tips on maximizing your social media account’s potential in promoting your small business:
Choose Your Platform(s)
As much as you’d want to have an active social media account in multiple platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter), you have to hone in on which ones work for your particular product/service and target market, as well as your small business’ limitations. Facebook is currently the leading social media channel that small businesses use to market themselves and also engage with customers, so it’s safe to at least have a Facebook page for your business. Of course, you can choose multiple platforms as well — restaurants and cafes often have both Facebook and Instagram accounts, while professional business services have LinkedIn and Facebook.
Set A Goal
Building your social media website by providing all the essential information such as your brand, product/services, contact information, and such is a good start. But when talking about social media marketing, you need to have a goal in mind so that you don’t just blindly post whatever you think or feel like would work. Know your objectives and priorities: is your social media about building your brand? Generating leads and attracting customers? Improving customer relations? By having a goal, you’d be able to streamline your content better. For example, if you’re marketing your startup coffee shop, you’d want your immediate goal to be known by featuring your products and location then asking your customers to come over and take advantage of your soft opening promos.
Post Content Daily
You must post daily (or at least every few days). This is to let them know that your business is active and somehow give them a reason to follow you — if a potential customer sees that your last post was a month ago, there’s a smaller chance of them following your page.
Quality Content
While it is essential to keep up with your routine of daily (or frequently) posting, you mustn’t just rehash the same content. Give your followers a reason to continue following your page, and your potential customers to start following. You can post a photo of your products, a tutorial video on how to make a good cup of coffee, pictures of famous guests or influencers visiting your shop. In other words, you should have content that’s worth liking and sharing. You shouldn’t skimp out on your photos either as visual content marketing is a huge factor in convincing and enticing customers to try your product or services. That said, it would be a good idea to invest in a good camera, or hire a well-reviewed business that offers professional photo editing services to give your product (or shop/venue) photos the extra wow factor.
Conclusion
Social media platforms have grown beyond its primary purpose of connecting people but have become one of the most critical marketing tool and medium at this day and age. So, if you’re ready to take the next step towards promoting your small business, make sure you follow these simple social media marketing tips to help you hit the ground running.
