Finding new clients and guiding them down the sales funnel are two of social media’s most useful functions. The importance of social media cannot be overstated, especially for startups and small enterprises.
Here are some tried and true methods for using social media to make your small business stand out in your immediate area.
Choose the Appropriate Mediums
Identifying the best social media channels to promote your company is the first step to social media success. It used to be recommended by experts that firms secure their brand identity across all channels and make extensive use of each one. This guidance, however, has developed over time. Instead of spreading your promotion too thin, focus on the platform your clients are already using.
Understanding your target consumer is essential to selecting the best platform for your business. Think about their characteristics and how they typically behave to ascertain the most effective method of communication. The best way to get started with social media marketing is to focus on only two networks that your target audience uses, and then expand from there.
Prepare a Basic Content Schedule
Create a publishing plan for the next several months with minimum effort using a content calendar as a guide. A flashy or over-the-top presentation is unnecessary for the success of this text. A content calendar may be made in a spreadsheet programme like Excel or Google Sheets by listing the platforms and dates and then specifying whether or not the material will be selected or created from scratch. Planning is also simplified with social media scheduling software like HootSuite.
Then, plan out when you’ll be posting links, images, and other promotional materials. A list of hashtags for each day may also be used as a planning tool. By planning out your material in advance, you can establish a publishing schedule that doesn’t consume all of your time and energy.
Exhibit Your Staff
The most effective social media for SMB marketing is one that fosters genuine engagement with customers. One advantage small businesses have when trying to attract customers in their immediate area is that they can put a human face with the brand. In smaller communities, where word of mouth is more crucial than ever, this is of paramount importance.
Showcase your company’s personality rather than trying to copy the most well-known firms’ content calendars. Hootsuite is a frontrunner in displaying its staff on social media, including the #hootsuitelife hashtag specifically for posts about working at Hootsuite.
Emphasize that you’re not a robot and that you’re actually talking to Darren from the neighbourhood bakery.
Instead of posting staged images of your products, highlight the behind-the-scenes efforts of your staff as they prepare for the Christmas rush.
Show the world the human side of your company.
Taking a more localised social media strategy is a great way for small businesses to get into the current trend for genuine marketing. Ninety percent of respondents to a recent poll agreed that genuineness matters to them when choosing where to spend their money.
Join the ranks of the Storytellers
The history of your firm is an essential part of any local social media strategy. Social media is essential for small companies because it allows them to engage with their local community in a meaningful way. Telling a story rather than making a direct pitch might evoke stronger feelings and build stronger relationships. When Generation Z enters the consumer age, firms must take this into account because traditional marketing strategies are less likely to be successful with this demographic.
Please think about why you’re sharing stuff that isn’t promotional. The most effective social media content creators utilise the company’s stated principles and objectives as a roadmap for what kinds of posts to share. To connect with a local audience, it’s important to go into the past and leverage nostalgia and recollection. Think about the history of your company and the values that drive it.
Being a social media storyteller is useful for two main reasons. In the first place, it helps your audience relate to your brand on a deeper level. Second, interaction is the lifeblood of social media algorithms. Your post’s visibility will increase proportionally to the amount of time it is read.
Pose Intriguing Questions
The number of replies to a single post is also taken into account when calculating engagement levels in social media algorithms. Asking interesting questions is a great way to get more people to comment on an article.
Begin a tale or description in a caption with a query regarding the reader’s tastes or experiences. Provide a compelling call to action (CTA) that encourages readers to respond with their responses. By giving your fans a voice, you can boost engagement and establish trust and loyalty. That is to say, you are fostering a discussion as opposed to lecturing the audience.
The participation of your audience may also be increased by providing them with a choice of alternatives and inviting them to express their view. If you want to get people talking, try showing them an image of tacos next to a picture of pizza and asking them which one they like more.
You can also use pieces that pose questions to draw readers in before dropping in an ad. Planning a promotional post to go out immediately after one that did very well in terms of engagement is a great way to naturally grow your audience.
Choose Related Material
As essential as it is to create unique content, content curation is as crucial. Some would argue that it’s more crucial because it allows you to reach your target demographic with less effort.
While curating material, it is crucial to avoid promoting the work of rival companies. Many companies overlook this factor despite its obvious importance.
Find articles and videos that relate to your industry to include in your curated content. A local supermarket, for instance, may promote this week’s sale items by posting popular recipe videos. This method overcomes a frequent problem faced by many consumers: a lack of inspiration when preparing a meal, and it also generates more interaction than a text article explaining what is on offer.