Social media for business is about more than sharing cat photos. One in three people uses social media. They do use it for entertainment, but they also use it to follow the news and buy products.
Every small company should engage in social media marketing for small business. They should focus on growing their presence and attracting consumers. But it is not enough to have a few company social media accounts.
You need to use them correctly. You need to develop a strategy and consider the content you want to produce and share.
You can learn the essentials right here. Here is your guide to business social media.
Set Goals
As with anything in your business, you should set goals for your social media. In particular, you should set SMART goals with five distinct qualities.
Specificity gives you a clear target to attain. “I want to build the company social media account” is not specific. “I want to increase follower engagement by five percent” is specific.
Measuring metrics lets you monitor how you are reaching your goals. You should look at the analytics pages of your social media account. You should also include a metric to hit your goal, like increasing follower engagement by five percent.
Attainability gives you a reasonable target. “I want to have the most followers of any social media site” is unattainable, and you will feel disappointed if you can’t reach it. Increasing engagement by five percent is attainable.
Relevance relates to the result of your goal. It is relevant to increase follower engagement because engaged followers produce sales.
Time-based goals are easier to track and achieve than untimed goals. You should give yourself the time you need to reach your goal, but no more than that. Most people set a deadline of one year.
Form a Social Media Strategy for Small Business
Social media may seem random or simple. But the best companies plan out what they share, even down to the individual comment. You should never post something just to post something.
At a minimum, every post should increase your brand awareness. Consumers should become familiar with your company and its unique qualities.
The best way to do this is to provide a service through your posts. You can provide information about your industry through infographics and short texts. You can offer how-to guides through videos and links to blog posts.
You can link and share other peoples’ content, but make sure that they do not compete with you. You can make comments, but make sure the comments are professional and informative.
Before you hit “send,” read over what you’ve written. Adjust it and have someone else read it over.
Take time thinking through what you want to say on social media. You don’t have to plan every post, but you should adopt an overall strategy.
Follow your competitors and see what they do. If there’s something you like, try emulating that quality. Keep reading tips for social media and edit your strategy to follow those tips.
Think About Your Audience
Do some research into how your audience currently stands. Break down their demographics, especially their age group. Most people think that only young people use social media, but there are plenty of older people who do as well.
What appeals to a young person is different from what appeals to an old person. With a young audience, you can be a little more informal and creative. Match your posts to that.
But consider everyone’s desires. Your audience may want material that lets them make a shopping decision. They may want material that entertains them or builds their knowledge of an industry.
Talk to your followers about what they want. Ask for their input in polls and through public messages. It may take some time to figure this out, but you should put in an effort.
Nearly all social media followers do not like promotional content. Do not post something that is for only promotional purposes.
Be Human
People do not follow accounts that they cannot relate to. You do not have to be informal or funny if you don’t want to be. But your content should reflect something about you.
Share some photos of your employees. Pick creative settings to stage the photos in, like parks and beaches. Write little blurbs talking about their work.
Consider allowing a low-ranking employee to make a post. They can share an article they like or offer a new perspective on your company.
When someone offers a criticism of your company, address them. Don’t be petty. Apologize for what happened and promise that you will prevent a similar experience.
When someone praises your company, repost their praise. Offer them a discount or follow their content if it’s appropriate.
Perform acts of charity. If someone loses one of your products, offer them a free replacement.
Feel free to talk about your hobbies or personal interests. Showing a little bit of your personality attracts attention and makes your company desirable.
Build Company Social Media Accounts the Right Way
Building company social media accounts is a good way to develop your brand online. But be smart. Set a clear and nuanced goal for you to hit.
Form a strategy of what you want to post. Focus on providing informative content over promotional efforts. Think about your audience demographics and desires and meet them with your content.
Be human. Show your company talent and personalities. Touch upon your interests and interact with your followers.
You can build your profits with the facts. Follow our coverage for more business guides.
You must be logged in to post a comment.