Whether you’re a small local startup or a huge multi-site enterprise, utilising social media to grow your brand is a no-brainer. Whilst different industries have different target audiences, it’s likely that your demographic will be on at least one of the popular social media channels. With 2.7 billion people on Facebook alone – think of how many potential customers there might be wishing for your products or services! So, this post is going to be a beginner’s guide to social media for small businesses to help you increase your success…
A Beginner’s Guide To Social Media For Small Businesses
Why Your Business Needs Social Media
Besides from being a place to showcase what you do, posting on social media also has a vast range of other benefits including:
– Strengthening Your Brand Image
Social media is a great way to put across who you are as a company, show more of your operations and give a more personal look into your business.
– Exploding Your Sales
This doesn’t really need an explanation – if people are impressed by what they see online, they’ll buy, book or enquire!
– Increasing Your Website Traffic
Linking to your blogs or other pages is really beneficial for those sections on your website that might often be forgotten about.
-Providing A Better Customer Service Experience
Social media is instant meaning customers can reach you quicker. They can get in touch straight from an app they’re likely to already have open.
– Creating Reports & Analytics
With the insight tools included within the social media platforms you can gauge what’s popular, who your target audience is as well as a range of other metrics!
Which Social Media Channels To Post On
When deciding where to focus your efforts, it’s important to consider two main things; who your target audience are and what your product/service is. Any businesses with a young demographic might find Instagram or Snapchat are best suited for them, whilst those who are B2B might choose Twitter or Linkedin.
Linked to this, the type of content you want to share also plays a huge part in which channels you choose. Photos work well on Instagram, TikTok is the best place for videos right now and anything longform is best suited to Facebook or Linkedin. Meanwhile, those who want to use their channel for customer service might find Twitter works best for them!
When To Post On Social Media For Your Business
Unfortunately, there isn’t one magic time that works for everyone but there certainly are patterns. When deciding when to post, it’s important to consider whether you are B2B or B2C. Those who operate B2C might find that lunch times or evenings are best for them (as people are free to scroll their phones) whilst those who are B2B are likely to find that weekday mornings are best for them.
It’s also important to check your analytics – when is your audience online? Linked to this, when are they likely to be influenced by what you can provide for them? For example, if you are a restaurant or takeaway, posting your food photos just before mealtimes is perfect as people will have food on the mind!
How Often Should Your Business Post?
More isn’t more. It’s important to ensure that you are providing value or entertainment and not just posting for the sake of it. We find that posting 2-3 times a week is perfect. It means we don’t overload our followers with too much information but also ensures that we are active on our platforms. That being said, if you plan on using Instagram Stories or Twitter, posting more frequently is highly recommended!
What Should You Post On Social Media?
So, you’ve made it this far but now you want to know what to post… Here’s 5 ideas to get you started:
– Tap Into National Days
There are national days – complete with hashtags – for pretty much anything. Get involved with any related to your business! Whether it be World Gin Day or Tick Bite Prevention Week, there are days for any industry. These are a great way to get to know other people in your sector as well as join in wider conversations!
– Promotions and Offers
Encourage your followers to make purchases or book appointments with social media specific promotions. Thank those who engage with your business online with bespoke discounts or offers and let them know you’re grateful for their support!
– Behind The Scenes
Show people a more personal side of your business. Whether it be how you do things or an insight into the people in your team, social media is a great place to show a less corporate side of your brand.
– Reviews or Testimonials
Had a fantastic review? Show it off! These act as great social proof and allow you to really show people what you can do! Yes, you might have only good things to say about your business but if others do too, this carries far more weight. It might also tip those considering using your business over the line, and help convert them to loyal customers.
– Facts and Figures
Why do people need your business or services? Publishing stats or other data related to your sector can help to sell your products or services. For IT companies, this could be data on cyber security breaches. For dentists this could be the importance of regular check-ups. There are many free online tools available for making graphics. Just add your stats and logo, and you’re good to go!
And there we have it, a beginner’s guide to social media for small businesses. Whilst we understand that social media marketing can be a bit of a mindfield, we hope this has made things that little bit easier. If you have any questions that we haven’t answered here, please don’t hesitate to send us a message on Facebook – we’d be more than happy to help!
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