Social media marketing is not just for large companies with a ton of resources. It can be an effective way to market your small business if you know what you’re doing.

This post will go over some tips that are specifically geared towards small business owners and marketers looking to utilize social media successfully in their business.

“Staying connected” is now second nature for most people, but still remains one of the best ways to grow your audience and keep them engaged. Follow the 6 tips detailed below if you want to get the most out of your social media presence!

1- Know your audience

Social media is all about sharing what matters to you and your customers. Creating content that helps your followers consume it is the best way to grow your business presence. One mistake businesses make is only talking about their business on social media. They share their services and products with their customers and forget to post them as a service to their customers. 

Think about why people follow a certain brand, why YOU follow a certain brand and apply the same thinking to your business. Your ideal client might follow you as a result of your posts about inspiring quotes. It’s also possible that they love hearing about how you turned a negative situation into a positive one. Instead of just posting a generic photo, break down why you’re posting it and why it matters. Posts that are helpful will draw more people to them. 

The following are the top five reasons why people use social media today:

• To keep up with current events and news
• To find amusing or entertaining content in order to pass the time
• To keep in touch with old friends
• To distribute photos or videos to others

Social listening is a vital tool that helps brands understand their audience’s interests and needs. It lets them connect with their potential audience in an engaging and memorable manner.

And always keep in mind that each platform attracts a different set of audiences. 

2- Schedule your posts

Do you want to be consistent and show that you take your business seriously? Well, each minute counts! Posting regularly shows potential clients that you take your business seriously and that they should, too.

This is a great way to keep up with all your social media posts in advance, keep you on track, be productive and save you time and effort. It will also keep you from getting distracted and scrolling through your feed.

Your social media marketing plan should include a day a week or a few hours a day to sit down and schedule your posts. 

How often should you post?

Most small business owners wonder how often they should post on social media. And the only answer is:  It depends on their goals and how they use the platform.

Here are some guidelines on how often to post on social media to boost engagement and interaction. 

• Instagram: consistent posts and daily stories will increase engagement and interaction.
• Facebook: once a day is sufficient; if you post more than that, your customers will become disengaged!
• Twitter: schedule multiple Tweets per day during times when you know your audience will be online.
• LinkedIn: Share useful content several times per week; video content works well on LinkedIn.

3- Set SMART goals 

Many small business owners are already convinced that they should be using social media marketing to grow their business. But, have you stopped asking yourself what your goals are with this strategy?

SMART is a term that means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, and Time-bound. It helps people set goals and keep track of their progress.

An example of a great SMART goal is to increase your email signups in the next six months. After six months, it will tell you if you’re still on track to reach it. If you mainly use email marketing to attract new clients, then implementing a social media strategy that’s focused on increasing email sign-ups is a must.

4- Build relationships

Social media marketing for small businesses allows you to reach out to your customers and followers in a personal way.

When people share and like your content, it’s a great way to build trust and form a loyal following. This will help boost your social media exposure and increase your reach. And engagement is a key signal that the platform uses to predict which posts users will see.

Nurturing relationships can help build a loyal customer base and increase sales over time. It’s also important to remember that new customer acquisition is only a part of the story.

In Hootsuite’s Social Transformation survey, Hootsuite found that 62% of its respondents stated that social media helped maintain a positive relationship with their customers during the COVID-19 era.

So how can you build relationships, other than responding to followers’ comments on your posts?

Respond to comments and direct messages in a timely manner 

Follow up with all of your followers in a timely manner and make sure that your messages are always positive and helpful. This is also a good practice to set aside some time to sit down and respond to specific social media posts.

Mention followers in your posts and stories

Creating content that engages your followers is a great way to build relationships with them. Even better, sharing your content with your followers helps build relationships with some of your most loyal fans.

User-generated content (UGC) is a great way to add quality content to your social feed. It can also be used to show social proof. 

Create a Facebook group

For example, the New York Times’ podcast club Facebook group is a place for people who love to listen to audiobooks. Its members can also discuss topics related to the news, as well as connect with other podcasters.

Facebook Groups are another way to build community and loyalty. They are also great for keeping listeners engaged each week.

5- Pay attention to trends and new features 

We’re not suggesting that you jump on every meme that goes viral, but it is a good idea to keep track of what people are looking for in social media.

Most of the time, it’s important to try and utilize the latest features of each social media platform. It is also a good idea to pay attention to the latest trends in social media to get a better understanding of the people who are looking for content that they will resonate with. 

A campaign was launched in 2016 by State Farm on helping consumers make informed decisions when it comes to insurance. It helps State Farm connect with Gen X and millennials. For example, road trips became a hot topic on social media last spring. As a result, State Farm created a series of Pins to explain how they helped protect their customers during difficult times.

6- Link your website to your social media pages

Only 55% of small businesses regularly communicate with their customers and leads via their websites. 40% of businesses do so via Facebook and Twitter. Make sure your social media platforms are discoverable from the site.

Are you ready to increase your company’s bottom line by attracting more customers? Follow these tips to get started optimizing your social media campaigns.