How to Use Social Media for Small Businesses?

No matter the size of your company, social media is a valuable part of a marketing campaign. Since so many people around the world are using various social platforms, it’s a great way for companies to reach new customers and interact with current customers.

Here are some tips on?how to implement social media into your business/marketing plan:?

Develop a plan

Whether your company is already on social media or is considering creating accounts, it’s essential to develop a plan that corresponds with your overall marketing plan. Keep in mind your brand and use that voice throughout all posts and engagements on various platforms.?

Think about the right tools to use

Who is your target customer? What types of social media platforms is he/she using? Do some research to determine the best tools for your company. For example, if you’re targeting a younger audience, Instagram would be an essential platform, but you may want to think about whether LinkedIn would be beneficial. Don’t start promoting content on every platform just because you think you should.

Build an online reputation

Make sure your logo, photos, and company website are present on each of the social platforms you’re using. It’s important your customers recognize your business right away. Create captivating content and visuals to further establish your reputation and build a following.

Repurpose the best content

If you have posts that performed well, rework the content and publish it again to generate even more reach and engagement.?

Consider ads

If you have room in your budget, you might try some online advertising campaigns to help increase your reach even more. Ads could be done through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google AdWords, etc. You can also target ads to a specific area and reach consumers with particular interests.

Think about hiring a specialist

If you already wear many hats within your company and you don’t have much social media experience, consider hiring a specialist who does.

Work with Influencers

Social media influencers generally have a large following, so working with them can help you reach even more consumers.??

Brands will often give away items or allow influencers to purchase at a considerable discount in exchange for the influencers promoting the content online and encouraging their followers to use a coupon code.

There are numerous benefits to using social media such as:?

Increased awareness?– Having an online presence can help you reach more people you otherwise wouldn’t have been able to get in contact with. Did you know that?60% of Instagram users?say they find new products on the platform??

Better brand reputation

Consumers can begin to see your company as a reputable source when you’re posting interesting and compelling content. This helps people trust your business and believe in what your brand has to offer.?

Improved website traffic

Linking back to your website content (blogs, about page, reviews, etc.) can increase website traffic and help overall SEO through the use of backlinks.

Stay relevant

According to the?Pew Research Center,?most social media users login to their accounts at least once/a day. By posting content regularly, you can continue to be seen by your target audience.?

This repetition can lead consumers to choose your company the next time they need a product or service you offer.

• Create new leads:?Certain social media campaigns can help move consumers down the funnel by increasing awareness and gathering information from people. If you’re able to get emails from a social campaign, for example, you can then use those to market to consumers via email campaigns to further build awareness and trust.
• Improve sales:?According to?Sprout Social, people are often more likely to buy from a brand they follow on social media. Instagram ads, for example, have proven successful for many online retail companies. Users can click on an ad and go directly to the website to purchase items immediately.
• Manage online reputation:?Having an online presence allows you to stay more on top of what people are saying about your company online. It’s a good idea to respond to both positive and negative reviews and work to resolve any conflicts customers have had. You don’t want people saying negative things to others about your business!

Does your company have a social media campaign in place? Are you seeing as much success as you could??