Let’s start with one simple fact: your business needs a social media presence.
It doesn’t matter if you run a small local shop or a big national company. Social media is an essential piece of your business marketing strategy.
Social platforms help you connect with your customers, increase awareness about your brand, and boost your leads and sales. With more than three billion people around the world using social media every month, it’s no passing trend.
Did you know that 90% of all marketers say social media marketing has increased their business exposure?
Or that 66% of marketers that spend at least 6 hours on social media per week have seen more leads? No matter what you sell and who you sell it to, using social media as a marketing tool can help you grow your brand and pad your wallet.
At this point, not having an active #socialmedia presence is like pulling out a flip phone at a business meeting and not understanding why Brad keeps getting all the new accounts.
But some people still own flip phones, and some people dig in their heels and say, what is social media marketing going to do for me? Do I really need it?
Build Awareness
If people don’t know about your business, they can’t become your customers. Social media boosts your visibility among potential customers, letting you reach a wide audience by using a large amount of time and effort. And it’s free to create a business profile on all the major social networks, so you have nothing to lose.
Define what you want to get out of social media to develop a social media strategy. Do you want new customers to discover your services? Do you hope to bring more local shoppers into your stores? By keeping your strategy specific, you can determine which social media channels are the best fit for your business.
Communicate Authority
Customers are increasingly savvier and more discerning about which businesses they support. Before making a decision, they’ll do a quick search to browse your website and social media.
Will they find an empty storefront or a rich source of information? Setting up robust profiles that you update frequently with relevant content will build your brand’s authority and make sure you make a positive first impression through social media, showing that your business is trustworthy, knowledgeable, and approachable.
Look for ways to demonstrate your expertise as a thought leader in your industry—like writing pieces related to your expertise or expanding on your company’s mission. By showing what your business offers and values, you will establish confidence in potential customers.
Show Authenticity
Customers aren’t interested in businesses that publish dry, corporate-style social media posts.
Instead, let your brand’s personality shine through in everything you share on social media. What does your brand voice sound like? How does it represent who you are?
Practice getting your tone just right, whether it’s casual and funny or formal and friendly. Be true to who you are, not who you think you should be. Followers want to see real people behind your social profiles. Show them.
Encourage Engagement
Social channels evolve, constantly releasing new features, and this rapidly changing environment can be intimidating for some business owners.
But remember: you don’t have to do everything. Play with new ways to connect with your audience, and give yourself permission to learn as you go. One day, you could post a series of Instagram Stories to give customers a behind-the-scenes tour of your office. The next, you could host a quick Q&A session via Facebook Live video streaming. Over time, you’ll get a better idea of your followers’ preferences.
You can create engaging video content for social media with a simple setup—good lighting, a smartphone, and a tripod. Also, do a test run before you go live to make sure your internet connection or hotspot has enough speed to avoid delays and interruptions.
Provide Support
Social platforms have successfully broken down barriers between companies and their customers. Now, instead of calling a customer service line, many people turn to Facebook or Twitter to solve problems or find information.
Develop your reputation as a responsive, caring brand by offering support through social channels:
- Create a system for tracking customer comments, questions, and complaints on social media.
- Respond as quickly as possible to questions and concerns.
- Go out of your way to be positive and helpful.
- Listen to criticism and make customers feel heard.
- Know when to resolve public conversations in private messages.
Grow Affordably
Marketing costs add up, and not every business can afford huge campaigns. But you can get a lot of value for your dollar with social media advertising. Your business, regardless of size or budget, has an opportunity to grow your audience and reach your objectives through ads on social platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
When building an ad campaign, know who you’re trying to reach and what goal you want to achieve so you don’t waste any of your budget on unhelpful advertising. Avoid overly salesy ads, and opt for content that educates or entertains (or does both at the same time).
No marketing tool or technique plays a bigger role in influencing your brand perception than social media. Regularly interacting with followers, journalists, thought leaders and taste-makers can increase your profile, improve your public image and give your brand the sales it deserves.
Are you ready to rocket ahead of your competitors and take the social media world by storm?
Want to see your search engine rankings climb and your traffic soar? Pull out that flip phone and send me a message. I’ll get you on the path to success.
