It’s 2021 (if you didn't know) and the impact social media can have on your business is not to be underestimated. It connects you to potential customers and used properly, can grow your audience. Social media is now a part of everyday life and we are constantly connected to others through our phones.
If your business isn’t on socials, we hate to say it, but you are missing out on a large opportunity.
Let's fix that.
We’ve pulled together our top tips for small businesses to get started on social media.
Want us to manage your socials and grow your audience? Book a free discovery call with us today and see how one of our social media whizzes can help your business.
1. WHICH SOCIALS SHOULD I BE ON?
With new online trends emerging every day, it can seem like a minefield when picking which social media channels to use for your business.
Remember, it’s not necessary to be on every single platform. If you’re starting your social media journey yourself from scratch, we recommend that you first nurture one channel to develop your online presence and grow from there. Once you have a stable channel and a social media strategy in place, we suggest you aim to be on at least 3 other platforms, to reach a range of clients/customers.
You’ll need to consider where you want to invest your efforts, as your target audience may be more active on LinkedIn rather than Twitter.
Let’s have a quick look at the key players:
Facebook – This is the largest platform and has over 2 billion monthly users. Due to this huge volume, we highly recommend small businesses to be active here. Facebook also has a powerful ads management suite. This is where you can manage cold and retargeting campaigns for both Instagram and Facebook.
Instagram – Instagram has around 800 million monthly users and is particularly effective for businesses with a more visual appeal. But don’t worry, if you’re a business without physical content to display, at Audience we design campaigns which not only advertise your business but also inspire, educate and engage your followers using relevant content.
Twitter – This platform has around 328 million monthly users and is the perfect place to answer customer queries and questions. It is also a great platform to follow others in your industry – perfect for staying in the loop.
LinkedIn – This is more of a professional channel than the others, with 467 million total users, it’s a great place to network and connect with other people in your industry. It can also be a handy recruitment tool with their popular ‘jobs’ section.
2. SETTING UP SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
When it comes to creating accounts, use the same email address to avoid confusion with logging on in the future. You should also use your company logo for the profile picture, as it means customers will easily be able to find and identify your social media accounts.
Similarly, keeping usernames the same across the different social media channels will keep all your accounts consistent and again means your business will be easier to find.
The final step is creating a short description for the bio section of your business profile. This is your opportunity to quickly tell customers about your business, this can usually only be short so make sure your bio is punchy. Add hashtags to help drive traffic to your channel and make sure you include a link to your site to give customers direct access.
3. GETTING FOLLOWERS
Once you have completed the initial setup phase, it’s time to start promoting your accounts and gaining some followers. When starting out, asking friends and family for their support on your business accounts is a great way to get your first followers.
If your business is already up and running, then make sure to let your customers know about your new social media accounts and encourage them to like and share your posts. Adding social media widgets to the bottom of your website and promoting accounts on business cards and flyers are great ways to attract new followers.
Finally, you could also ask your customers what type of content they would like to see, which will help you to create relevant and engaging content for your wider audience.
4. INVESTING TIME
Although posting on social media doesn't require a large budget, you will need to invest a substantial amount of time to produce quality content and increase your business's online presence.
As your social media is a representation of your brand, your content must reflect that. You should produce engaging posts, which your audience can easily connect and communicate with. It’s also a great idea to engage with your followers such as replying to any comments left on posts or hosting polls.
5. STICK AT IT
If you’re managing your own social media accounts, you need to be aware it can take time, so perseverance is key. You will need to develop an engaging content strategy to really make the most out of your platforms. To see results, you will need to invest time and energy. More and more businesses are beginning to recognise the huge potential for growth that social media offers.
Every day, millions of people use social media as it has become so ingrained in our daily lives, therefore, businesses need to capitalise on the huge opportunity these platforms provide.
And that's it, our top 5 tips to get your business social - simple, right?
It might not be rocket science, but there is an art to running successful social media accounts and we know that production and management can be time-consuming. At Audience, we can do the work for you, so you can focus on the day-to-day running of your business, whilst watching your follower count grow.
Book a free discovery call today to see how we can connect you with your audience #sorted.
