Using Social Media To Grow Your Small Business

USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO GROW YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

We currently live in an era where social media has become an inaugural part of our everyday lives. Individuals of all ages are constantly utilizing social media to accompany their day-to-day activities, such as checking the news, researching health tips, and for political updates. Some corporate entities have turned to social media for their hiring process, school admissions, evidence for court cases, and some have used social media to augment their business. In essence, social media, and it’s many networks (Such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter to name a few) have undeniably become intertwined within this current generation, allowing for greater connectivity, and accessibility to a wider audience.

Here are some simple tips:

1. Identify the platform catered to your target demographic

Many small businesses make the common mistake of not just being able to identify their target demographic, but not marketing in a manner that caters to the desired demographic. If you happen to be running a business that sells scarfs to senior citizens, then updating your Instagram every 8 hours may not be the best platform to utilize. Statistics show that individuals over the age of 45 spend significantly more time using Facebook as opposed to Instagram.

As a small business owner, it would be more favourable to implement the use of Facebook, and their business page section into your company strategy. The urge to use whatever platform is “hot” should be avoided, if the people you cater to do not use that specific platform. Take time to identify your target demographic, and then which platform they utilize, and use that information to increase the reach of your company.

 

2. General commitment

The reality is, social media can be challenging, just like any other form of marketing, as it does take time to properly grow an adequate following, increase engagement, as well as create content that is compelling to your audience.

Make sure to give your audience an answer as to “why” they should be invested in your social media page, whether that’s your company’s Twitter, or Facebook. Within your business strategy, make sure to include content plans and goals.

 

3. Be authentic

It’s a common term often used in marketing, but “sell yourself.” People are drawn to authenticity. There is no successful brand in the world today that does not have some form of personality to it. Don’t just create content for the sake of creating it, but bring something to your viewership that they can resonate with.

 

4. Research how other brands use different networks in your industry

There are two ways to use other brands to your advantage:
i. Complete Mimicry
ii. Inspiration

The first is often seen within e-commerce businesses, where they will often have a company within their industry, and copy everything they do from a branding standpoint. In truth, it does work, but is not completely sustainable. The latter allows for you to not just use a proven strategy, but to improve upon potential flaws you may come across.

5. Listen to your clients/customers

In the same breath, “the customer still is always right.” Platforms such as Twitter allow for those purchasing your goods and/or services to communicate with you on their opinions of your business. Without having an intricate customer review page, you can utilize social media in a way to get into the mind of how your clients actually view your company. In addition to knowing what your customers are saying about your business, you can know what trends exist in your industry, as well as what customers have to say about your competition, using tools such as BuzzSumo, Facebook Pages to Watch, Twitter Lists, and YouTube.

 

6. Utilize video marketing

Mark Zuckerbuerg has stated that we are living in a “video first world,” where most of what was shared online ten years ago was text, but now most of what is shared are videos. 64% of clients often purchase a product online after watching a video on it. In addition, other studies show that email subjects with the word “video” in their subject line increase open rate by 19%, and in 2017, 74% of all Internet traffic came from videos. In essence, video marketing will work if done right. Make sure camera quality is great, audio levels are clear, and the video itself is appealing.

 

7. Be consistent

Within your business plan, have set times, and dates where you will post content for your audience. Common practices used by fitness-based companies is to post #MotivationMonday pictures on Instagram, while some faith based organizations would post a #WordWednesday tweet on Twitter. In all, make sure your content is consistent, and follows a manageable theme.