Here's how to nail social media as a small business

Social media is an invaluable tool in connecting with your audience as a small business. Getting it right can seem like a minefield - which networks do you choose? What kind of content do you post? But it doesn’t have to be difficult; once you get into the swing of things, you’ll begin to boost your engagement, drive more traffic to your site and ultimately, increase sales. 

Here’s how:

Identify your target audience

When you’re posting content, you need to have a clear picture in mind of the type of person you’re appealing to. A B2B software company doesn’t need to engage with the same kinds of people as a small town coffee shop. Then you can work out which platform is best for you. Business professionals, for example, will most commonly be found on LinkedIn. Teenagers and early twenty-somethings frequent Snapchat, while digital junkies are always on Twitter. And, of course, pretty much everybody is on Facebook. 

Establish a consistent brand voice

Again, this comes down to the kind of person you’re appealing to. Appeal to younger audiences with humour and an informal, conversational tone. B2B audiences require more measured, insightful content. Once you’ve found your voice, stick to it. 

Build a library of great content

Meaningfully engaging with your followers means sharing a balance of interesting, topical and sales-driven content. Remember that the ultimate aim is to drive people to your website, but also sharing external links to genuinely interesting content encourages people to keep following you. It’s a good idea to trawl the web for relevant content, like industry news and comment pieces, before you begin, so you don’t have to do it later. Aim to post once or twice a day - too little and you’ll lose your engagement, but too much and you’ll become spammy. 

Encourage people to follow you

Place links to your social media profiles in prominent places - that’s your website homepage, your email marketing, your customer service emails and so on. There are lots of free social media icons available online, which you can use in place of a conventional text link. 

Measure the results

Make sure you can see what’s working and what’s not. Keep a close eye on your click-throughs and conversion rates, and if something needs to tweaked, act on it.

If you need help building relationships with your audience, get in touch with us today!