In this era of digitization, having a strong online presence is a must. But having an online presence constitutes more than just having a website or a Google My Business listing. Sure, these platforms help you to drum up business but the most ideal way to promote your business is through social media. Social media is the most effective and inexpensive way to market your products and services.
Here are 7 helpful tips on how to promote small businesses on social media.
- Choose the ideal platforms for your business
There are a variety of social media platforms available on the market. Different social platforms attract different demographic of users. It is important to figure out what demographic you want to appeal to with your social presence. Buyer personas, profiles of your main criteria of customers can be used to focus on your target customer.
Once you have identified one or two social platforms for your business you can focus on building your marketing strategy. Master your strategy campaigns on one or two platforms, to begin with. As time passes you can expand your campaign to include other social networks.
- Set specific goals for your business
The next step is to identify what your goals are with this specific strategy. Refrain from setting vague or extremely unattainable goals that are too far out. Instead, focus on setting specific attainable goals within a set time frame. Make sure that you have a backup plan for your strategy or a different approach in case your prior campaign does not lead to favorable results. This will assure that your goals are achieved and your social media campaign is successful.
- Stick to a rigid posting schedule
Keep in mind that posting without a specific schedule will most likely cause your strategy to fail. Posting randomly and sporadically will not achieve the results that you desire. Figure out a specific positing time and day when you are going to post your content. Whether it is posting twice a week or three times in a week, make sure you reach your goal. You can still post spontaneous posts now and then, but consistency will get you far.
Having a consistent posting schedule works to heighten anticipation for your posts. You can even use a scheduling tool to maintain your regularity.
- Use one platform to drive traffic to another
The worst thing you can do is keep your customers chained to one particular social platform. Having an endless stream of followers doesn’t mean a lot if all they do is follow you without any further action. Use the reach that you have on this platform to drive your visitors onto other forms of communication. You can post links to your latest blog, or send them to check out your latest products, or inform them of the discounts that you have on your website.
Use the resources that you have wisely. Send out an effective tweet, write well-constructed bios, and post stories to drive traffic to your other social platforms.
- Maintain a balance between original and promotional posts
Sure, the main objecting of your business having a social presence is to market your products but promotional posts are not all that your visitors want. Posting an endless stream of promotional posts can be off-putting and will quickly tire your audience. While promotion to some extent is understandable, your audience will also want to connect with you on a personal level.
These human posts show off the personality of the business and encourage visitors to support you and engage in business. These genuine emotional posts are more likely to drive sales than promotional posts.
- Use appropriate visuals
Visuals are your most powerful tool when it comes to social media. An audience that is on social media reacts best to visual content. With the help of high-quality images and videos, you can use your visuals to your advantage. Use these visuals to provide more information about your business along with the products and the services you are looking to market. Visual imagery can go a long way in building trust and forging a bond with your audience.
- Audience Engagement
The practice of easy engagement between the business and the audience is what separates social media from all other forms of marketing schemes. People appreciate brands that consider their customer’s views and appreciate their followers. It makes people feel like they have a say in the brand that they are doing business with. This helps you connect with your audience on a basic human level.
