Have you been trying to decide if social media is worth it for your small business? Or do you already know it’s important, but it seems daunting and you don’t even know where to start? Well, we have great news! It’s easier than you might think.
Social media marketing for your business isn’t scary at all and it’s actually really important. It’s an awesome resource that small businesses of all kinds can use to strengthen and promote their brand while targeting their key audiences.
Social Media Is Where Your Customers Are Spending Their Time
There are now 4.4 billion active social media users—almost twice as many as there were just five years ago. And those users aren’t just mindlessly scrolling: ecommerce sales are on the rise as well.
On top of that, those users spend an average of 2 hours and 25 minutes on social channels every single day. That is a lot of time and opportunity to develop customer relationships, build brand awareness, and (if applicable) make direct sales!
Here are a few pointers to keep in mind as you get started.
Make a plan and decide what platforms are right for you
It doesn’t cost anything to create a Facebook Page, to start posting on Instagram, or create a presence on Twitter. The average user often has access to several different social media accounts.
Do some research and use it to help gauge where your target audience spends their time online. But remember, choosing your platforms doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach. You can use different social channels to reach different audiences, or to meet different business goals.
Set social media goals and objectives
Do you ever feel like you’re working hard but not getting anywhere? Setting SMART goals means you can clarify your ideas, focus your efforts, use your time and resources productively, and increase your chances of achieving what you want for your business.
SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.
Focus on quality over quantity
You can’t do it all, and there’s no reason to try. Reach out to your audience in the places where they’re already spending time online. It’s more important to create quality content on one or a couple of key social channels than it is to have a presence on every single network.
Focus on using one or two social channels really well, at least to start. Once you have those mastered, you can build from what you’ve learned and expand your efforts.
Above all, be sure that your social posts offer value. If all you do is pitch and sell, there’s very little motivation for people to follow you. Remember, social media marketing is about building relationships.
Remember the 80/20 rule
People don’t go on social media to see advertisements. They log on because they’re bored and want connection, entertainment, inspiration, or information that can improve their life.
So what exactly is the 80/20 rule? Essentially, 80% of social media posts should be useful to your audience — meaning, it educates, entertains, or offers a solution to their problems — and only 20% should explicitly promote your business.
Providing the type of content that your audience goes to social media for gives them a reason to follow your brand. Create and look for content that’s relevant to your industry, locality, and audience’s interests, while refraining from explicitly promoting your brand.
Sure, giving your audience what they want and building customer relationships are important. But what about driving revenue? The 80/20 rule can help with that too. When you only post promotional content 20% of the time, users are more likely to act on your message. If you post about products, sales, and discount offers too often, it isn’t special, and the people tune it out.
While the 80/20 rule is a good place to start, there isn’t one single perfect percentage that will be a magic potion to boost your social media presence overnight. Each brand and each company has a different voice, message, and goals. It’s important to discover YOUR brand’s voice and test the ratio and see what best represents and fits your business.
Social media marketing keeps costs down
Marketing costs money in almost all forms. However, social media marketing can cost little to nothing and still make a huge impact for your business. You can use social media to reach new potential customers every single day.
These days, any given business isn’t truly able to keep up with the competition without an online presence. How will you go about bringing your small business successfully into the digital age? Contact us and our social media marketing team can help!