3 Tips to Build a Stronger Social Media Presence for Your Small Business
While in the initial phases of starting your small business you may have created a Facebook or Twitter page without giving it much thought. Now that your company is operating smoothly, you may be looking to expand, and a stronger social media presence could be just the place to start. Social media plays a huge role in your SEO, customer service and outreach, competitive advantage and more.
Here are three important tips for kicking your social media presence up a notch:
- Be consistent – Consistency, in both the frequency of your posts and positioning of your content, is key when talking about anything on social media. Why? Social media is time sensitive, and consistently having content is how you build your brand, allow customers to see what you have to offer, and let potential customers get to know you better. By posting consistently, you will be staying top of mind for customers and giving them special insight into your day-to-day business. A good way to help yourself stay consistent is to write down a short plan that includes how often you plan to post and what kinds of content or offers are the best fit for your page. Updating this plan each quarter helps ensure your content remains fresh in the eyes of your audience.
- Engage with your audience – It’s imperative that your content is not only consistent, but engaging. Give thought to who your followers are and what topics are relevant to them so your content is more likely to be clicked on and shared. You can inform them of a helpful product or service, ask a question that entices them to start a conversation, or provide a quote that will strike a chord. Make sure each post provides a way for your audience to take action, whether that is clicking on a link back to your website or leaving a comment. And when people comment and engage with you, don’t be shy—reply to direct messages, comment back, and like their posts. It’s important to remember that social media is a two-way street.
- Don’t neglect reporting – Take time each week to check the built-in reports each platform has to offer. Almost every dashboard can tell you who you are reaching when, and whether or not they are clicking on and engaging with your content. Use this data to improve your content and adapt to your audience. For example, if you see that a peak in engagement typically occurs after 7pm, that’s the time to post your most important content. Maybe you notice that a new demographic has started following you, providing you with an opportunity to start offering targeted specials. Reporting can even help you track how often your competitors post and how engaging their posts are.
The power of social media for your small business should never be underestimated. Once you have committed to consistency, engaging content, and reporting on your performance, be sure to continually adapt your strategy based on the results you are seeing.
For more social media insight, check back with the IOU Financial blog. Happy posting!