Social media is a significant game changer in today’s marketing world. Even if your business is small, it pays to utilize social media marketing. Start small. In fact, it’s best to manage one or two company accounts rather than force your resources to manage accounts on all the hyped social media platforms.
Some people still question the value of social media marketing. But it builds an online presence by increasing your company’s Google search rankings; it also humanizes your brand and allows customers to have a better, faster connection with you. The tips below will help you manage social media for your small business.
Decide on your target audience
Why? You need to use the best social media platform for your business, so think of your company’s target audience. Every social media platform is popular with a specific demographic, so choose wisely. Here’s a quick breakdown of popular social media networks:
- Teenagers like Vine, Snapchat, YouTube, Tumblr, and Instagram.
- Business types and leaders use professional networks on LinkedIn.
- Parents and grandparents are likely found on Facebook.
- Influencers and bloggers are keen on Twitter and Tumblr.
- Homemakers and mothers are more easily found on Pinterest.
Choose the social media platform that fits your branding
Not only do companies need to segment their audience for social media marketing, but they also need to choose the platform that fits the type of content or services they want to expose. For examples:
- Instagram and Pinterest are great for visual companies with access to lots of gorgeous photography and branded products.
- Facebook and Twitter are best for businesses that generate a lot of editorial content shared through links.
- Vine, Snapchat, and YouTube are excellent choices for brands with access to professional-level production equipment (generally for videos and filmed content).
Commit to one or two social media networks that suit your company profile best. If you can experiment with other platforms, go ahead. But make sure the accounts you do have are well-run, with regular updates.
Create a social media strategy and a pipeline of content
If you lack shareable new content, but need to keep up with regular posts, try repurposing the content you already have to buy time for new content. You can also reuse the press coverage you’ve received and share it on Twitter.
In general, content strategy goes hand in hand with social media strategy. Creating and maintaining a company blog is a good choice when you have little budget to spare, since blog posts are an inexpensive way to educate costumers on how your product works and how your business plans to impact the community.
Now that you know the basics of social media for business. It’s also important to keep in mind that while the popular platforms change with time, managing social media accounts is also a learning experience for the next new platforms. For example, Facebook taught people to share content through images and photos, which is how Instagram works. One platform teaches you a skill for the next hyped-up social media network.