The importance of social media marketing for business

Social media for business is now every bit as important as doing your taxes. Find out how to be engaging on social media and look at some social media ideas.

If you’re in business and you want to grow (or even simply keep up), you can’t underestimate the importance of social media marketing. Let’s start with some facts:

• In 2022, there were almost 4 billion total social media users across all platforms.
• Over 80% of potential customers or clients will check your business out on social media before committing to a purchase.
• Consumers are six times more likely to make a purchase from a product page that includes user-generated pictures from social media.

If you’re not playing the social media game, it’s an undeniable fact that you’re missing out on attention and potential revenue. With that in mind, here are some social media tips for business owners.

You don’t have to be everywhere… but you should at least be somewhere

TikTok or YouTube? Instagram or Pinterest? LinkedIn or Facebook??It’s possible to have a presence on every platform but think first about where your audience is.?

A B2B (business to business) brand may have success sharing content on LinkedIn and maintaining a steady presence on Facebook. A highly visual B2C (business to consumer) brand will attract more qualified buyers on platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest.?

You need to know where your audience ‘hangs out’ on social media when you create your strategy. The classic saying is to ‘Go deep, then go wide’ — so choose one or two platforms first and build your audience there, then consider extending to other areas.?

Social media ideas for business

If you’re not a creative type or if you are focused on other parts of your business, you may not know where to start.?

The first thing you need isn’t an idea, it’s a calendar. Spend some time fleshing it out so you’re not scratching your head for social media ideas every few days.?

To get you started, here are some ideas, from ‘easiest’ to ‘hardest’. Note that the ‘easy’ ideas are probably less engaging but they will still help you show up online.?

• Share content your clients may be interested in reading or seeing (not from your competitors!)
• Share product descriptions and images
• Share special offers?
• Turn customer testimonials into graphics and share them
• Write two blogs per month and break them into several ‘micro blogs’, then drip feed these to social media
• Post a survey or poll for your followers
• Share candid snaps of your team at work
• Share case studies
• Repurpose existing content from your website or other marketing collateral to share on social media
• Develop a lead magnet such as a free guide and invite people to download it
• Create a daily, weekly or monthly series e.g. interviewing industry experts
• Go live?

Start making videos:

• How to’s
• Q&A
• Product ads
• Fun, entertaining, shareable clips

How to be engaging on social media

The more interesting your content is, the more people will stop, look, like and share.?

Some tips for social media engagement for business include:?

• Ask questions and get people to respond in the comments
• Share a controversial opinion (not too controversial!)
• Post clear, bright images
• Use a smiling face that makes eye contact with the device user
• Make a Reel (short, entertaining video) and include text that says ‘Watch to the end’
• Share special offers but only for the first few people who comment
• Respond to comments to stimulate further discussion
• Talk about a current topic

Figuring out how to be engaging on social media can take some time. Think of it like training for a marathon; you won’t be race-ready after a single month of going for a morning jog. Social media can be a long game and you need to stick with it if you want the best results.?

How often to post on social media as a business

There’s no denying it, social media is a hungry beast.?

Social media tool Hootsuite recommends posting the following amount:

• On Instagram, post between 3-7 times per week.
• On Facebook, post between 1 and 2 times a day.
• On Twitter, post between 1 and 5 Tweets a day.
• On LinkedIn, post between 1 and 5 times a day.

Yes, it’s a lot. You may find you can get away with less, depending on your brand and your goals. However, from those recommendations, you can see why you need a social media manager.?

Having someone to take over and look after your online activity will ensure you have great social media ideas for your business and that a regular posting schedule is followed. Your social media manager will also brainstorm and create stories of client scenarios, savings/sales, local events, sponsorships, regular videos, and more, so the content being shared is relevant and topical to your audience and industry.?

Don’t forget to keep track

The final piece of the social media for business puzzle is tracking your results. This includes more than simple likes, so you know what’s working and what can be improved.?

The importance of social media marketing comes down to achieving better results for your business. You need a strategy so you can increase awareness of your brand, improve customer experience, and ultimately encourage more enquiry. When your social media activity is consistent, creative, and suited to your audience, you’ll find it supports your journey to a more successful business.?

Get in touch with Reputation by Design for help designing and implementing your social media strategy!