Social Media Suicide: Is Your (Lack of) Strategy Killing Business Growth?

Social media seems to be the best thing that could happen to small businesses. It is essentially a free tool that almost everyone can use, a factor that can be a benefit and a curse. However, many small businesses or entry-level entrepreneurs in Uganda are failing to take advantage of these opportunities. They fail to develop a strategy behind their posting, refuse to invest in quality graphics, and don't engage with their community.?

According to a Hootsuite report, social media usage has been on the rise in recent years in Uganda. As of January 2023, there were over 4.4 million Facebook users in Uganda, with the number expected to grow to over 6.5 million by 2025. Despite this potential reach, many small businesses in Uganda are not using social media effectively.

One of the main reasons for this is the lack of a clear social media strategy. Without a strategy, small business owners in Uganda often find themselves posting content on social media platforms haphazardly, without a clear understanding of their target audience, goals, or metrics for success. This approach leads to a lack of engagement with customers and low conversion rates, resulting in lost sales opportunities.

To avoid this fate, small business owners need to start by defining their social media goals; do they want to increase brand awareness? Drive website traffic? Increase sales? Once they have set their goals, they can then define their target audience and develop a content strategy that speaks directly to their audience's needs and interests.

For example, if a small business owner is selling handmade jewelry, they might want to target young women interested in fashion and beauty. They could create social media posts showcasing their latest jewelry collection and offer styling tips to help customers incorporate their products into their everyday looks.

You may want to avoid cheap or ugly graphics. We now live in a visual society where people like to look at pretty pictures. Even if they don't read your content, immediate assumptions are made about your business based on the graphics you use. There are several free and low-cost platforms that allow you to create and edit photos and videos for social media posting. You may not have a lot of time or a staffer to dedicate to this task, but at least one or two hours should be carved out each week to develop content for your marketing. If you're a solopreneur, you may be thinking you don't have time to do this. My question is, do you have so much business that you don't need new clients?

Another crucial aspect of social media strategy is understanding the metrics that matter. It's not enough to simply post content and hope for the best. Small business owners in Uganda need to track their social media metrics, such as engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, to determine what is working and what needs improvement. By analyzing these metrics, small business owners can adjust their social media strategy accordingly, ensuring that they are getting the most out of their social media efforts.

Design for consistency at all touchpoints. Is your business traditional, modern, or contemporary? Is your target audience youthful or experienced? Are your products designed for corporate consumers or household consumption? Believe it or not, those elements should make a difference when designing your social media images and messages. When someone looks at your images, reads your messages, or watches your videos, they are trying to determine if this product/service is talking to them. It is important for viewers to see your content and become intrigued enough to click the link, request more information, or call for an appointment. If you are getting a lot of views but a few clicks, there is something in your messaging that is not connecting with your audience.

Do not ghost your audience/community. We are amazed at the number of businesses that fail to connect with their community. You see them posting ads, offers, and advice and you name it with people commenting and asking questions but no response from the business. Inevitably, the consumers begin talking to each other, which seems to derail the conversation away from the business. Don’t make that mistake. Even if you don't have the resources to dedicate to a community manager, someone within your organization should be tasked with monitoring and following up on the information that you post.

Bottomline. Without a clear understanding of their goals, target audience, and metrics for success, small business owners are missing out on valuable opportunities to connect with their customers, increase brand awareness, and drive sales.