If you own a small business in 2020, then you know how important it is for your company to utilise social media to your advantage. If you’re not considering it yet, now’s the right time to change your mind.
A 2016 social media research found out that 77.6% of small business owners use social media to promote their products and services. In as little as a few years, seeing that number soar won’t come as a surprise. Everyone is on social media, and it would be smart for you to channel your efforts in marketing into the platforms where your customers are looking.
So if you’re running a startup and want to make an impression on social media, you need to know your way around the environment. Here’s a simple guide that can help a solopreneur like you utilise social media to your business’s advantage.
Your Strategy
Before you create your social media pages, you have to write down the plan of attack. How are you going to claim your space within the busy realm of social media where millions of other businesses are hard at work as well? The answer is simple: reach out to your crowd.
Other social media experts would say that standing out among millions (and millions) of social media profiles is challenging. The truth is, you don’t have to. Unless your company is offering the ultimate answer to every question or need ever conceived, you should know that not everybody needs your business.
There are, however, thousands or even millions of people who are looking for a brand like yours. When you implement the right social media strategy properly, you can expect to see an increase in the population of the people who do need your business.
Your Content
The crucial muscle that will do most of the heavy lifting in your social media campaign is the content. What you put out there, may it be a photo of your product, or a video of a customer sharing his or her positive feedback (which is very helpful), really can make or break your online presence.
The type of content you publish on social media should also be laid out as you strategise. It will depend on which kind of content your audience responds to the most. For example: Most people respond well to videos because it’s easy to consume and it can help build trust like no other type of content can. If you’re one of those solopreneurs whose personalities are associated with the brand they represent, videos of you speaking to your customers will help build trust with customers
If you’re still not sure about the type of content that resonates best with your audience, don’t be afraid to test out several types of content. Remember that you’re still in the early stages of your SME business. After all, not even Star Wars got it right the first time (look that story up and be inspired).
Your Move
There’s no one-size-fits-all formula to making an impact on social media. It’s important to note that there are a lot of social media platforms out there. You may be directing all your efforts into Facebook, but if your crowd is on Instagram, chances are you won’t the engagement that you need.
So the first thing you need to do to stand out is to know your target audience. Almost all social media platforms are supportive of business pages. Platforms like Facebook are designed to bring your brand efficiently to the right people, that is, if you know who these people are.
Once you’ve scouted the location of your ideal market online, don’t put out ads just yet. Establish your place in their online community, and if they approve of your content, try putting out ads that target the same kind of people.
This is just a tidbit on how social media managers deliver the best results for their clients. These digital marketing experts know social media platforms from the inside out, and hiring a firm you could work with can help out greatly.
You may be a solopreneur, but you don’t have to go solo when it comes to your marketing efforts. When you have the right people doing the things they’re great at, you can all inch towards greater success, one day at a time.
Get in touch today and let’s discuss the online needs for your small business.