Is your business active on social media? We’re not talking about just Facebook either… In 2023, it’s no longer acceptable to be active on Facebook alone (Although, it is a good first step). Why? Because you need to know where your clients are spending most of their time when they use social media.
Small businesses usually find that utilising online platforms allows them to grow their client base in an effective way. However, we know that it can be daunting when you start your businesses’ first maiden voyage across the media platforms. That’s why we’re giving you a quick four-step plan to help you get to grips with the basics.
Understand Your Consumer
When you started your business, you must have created a profile of your ideal customer/client. What they liked, their dislikes, what their job is, where they shop, their income, etc. Well, in order to get the most out of your social platforms, you have to do the same to your online followers.
Understanding where your ideal client spends most of their time is an important first step as it will tell you what platforms you need to be utilising. Do they use Instagram more than Facebook? Are they more vocal on Twitter or LinkedIn? Once you figure this out, you can prioritise your online presence to their favourite platforms.
Facebook is by far the largest social media app, boasting an impressive 2 billion monthly active users. Facebook is great for lead generation and allows users to see standard information such as your opening times and phone number.
Instagram is perfect for businesses like hairdressers and beauticians as it allows you to showcase your work, enticing new clients to your store.
LinkedIn is the ideal platform if you’re a B2B business. With professionals across the world opting for this app, it’s the perfect place for lead generation. It’s also great for establishing the tone of your business, letting others know that you are a leader in your field and allows you to start conversations with like-minded people.
Define Your Marketing Goals
Your next step in your online journey is to define your marketing goals. There’s no point in posting anything and everything just to create noise. Here are some of the most common online marketing goals for businesses: 1 - Generate Leads
2 - Build Brand Awareness
3 - Engage Followers
4 - Attract New Followers
All of these objectives are a great start but are no use to you if they don’t reflect what you want to achieve online. You could be looking to improve your communication with clients or even gain more website traffic.
Once you figure out what your objectives are, only then head to the next stage of your marketing strategy.
Be Consistent
If you haven’t posted in over a year on your different pages, everyone that visits your page will assume that you aren’t an active business. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but it is the most natural assumption that potential clients will make. This also applies to people who already follow you. They’re not going to head over to your page just to see what you’re up to, especially if you don’t give them a reason to. Post regularly to entice the customer to your page.
However, this isn’t an excuse to post willy-nilly. You need to define your brand within your posts, so make sure that they’re pleasing to the eye. This means very little text in images, user-generated content where possible, and a cohesive structure.
Explore Your USP
Why should they follow you? What makes your account different? Use your hook to sell your service and entice new customers. Getting new followers will be part of the challenge. The more followers you have, the more likely it will be that you convert them into new customers.
Here are just a few examples of why people will follow your business on social media:
- They like your content
- They’re curious and interested in your service/product
- You used an incentive (competitions, promotions)
- You were recommended by their friend or family member
Obviously, these reasons show that your content must be entertaining and informative. It’s no use posting funny images or memes if it isn’t relevant to your product or brand. If you’re having issues with gaining new followers, try something new! How about a competition or a promotion to encourage new followers? Make sure that people share your post so that other people on their timeline see it too! You’ll have a fresh new following in no time. However, make sure you find a good balance between posting regularly and spamming your followers. This will make you lose more followers faster than you can gain them!
Conclusion
All of this can seem quite daunting, but once you get the hang of things you’ll be utilising social media like a pro! Remember, research your consumer, think about your marketing goals, define your USP, and be consistent. If you start with these four things, you will create a recipe for online success.
Remember, keeping things as simple as possible and remaining consistent will help you more than trying too much too fast and losing sight of your ultimate goals!
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