Today, a business needs to use social media if it wants to remain relevant. You may know that raising your profile on social media has many benefits but you may not know how to go about it. Here are some of the ways you can take your social media marketing to the next level.
Create profiles on the right platforms
If you have a Facebook page for your business, it’s a good start but it is not enough if you want to extend your reach. The social media channels that small businesses use the most are Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, with Twitter not far behind.
Before you start creating profiles on as many platforms as you can, think about your target audience. For example, most of the leads generated by B2B companies come from LinkedIn. Snapchat is used mostly by Generation Z and Pinterest is a great platform if your business has visual appeal (fashion, art, travel, restaurants, etc.)
Set your goals
Social media allows you to engage customers, build brand awareness, expand your audience, increase your web traffic, get feedback, and more. However, you can’t just start posting blindly and expect success.
Knowing the goals you want to achieve will help to define your strategy. For instance, if you want to improve customer service, your tactics will be different from those you use to expand your audience.
Come up with a strategy
Creating a content calendar can help you to plan posts to address your audience, what topics they’re interested in, the kind of content you need to create, and when and on which platform it will be published.
Use automation tools
Many automation tools are available to automatically publish posts and schedule posts up to a month in advance. These tools, such as Buffer, Hootsuite and Sprout Social, can save you time and make it easier to monitor your networks and respond to messages.
Be consistent
There’s no point in following a brand that doesn’t post content on a frequent basis. Posting frequently offers you the opportunity to stand out from your competitors – if they only post twice a week and you post every day, you can make a more lasting impression on your followers.
Give consumers a reason to follow you
Consumers are more likely to buy from brands they follow on social media. Get more Instagram followers, for example, and you have more opportunities for conversion.
Social media is all about connection and engagement. You need to actively engage followers. Comment on posts, participate in conversations, share information, pose questions, address complaints and show appreciation. This is the only way to foster relationships and gain the trust of your audience.
Too much promotional content may put your audience off. The recommendation is that you keep promotional content to 20%, and use the rest to address your audience’s needs. Consumers are more likely to find your brand worth following if your content is entertaining or you offer exclusive promotions and special discounts.
Form relationships with social influencers
Influencer marketing is a quick way to acquire customers. It is possible for even small brands to form relationships with micro-influencers who are not celebrities and don’t charge too much. They are usually ordinary people with a highly engaged following who you may be able to get to post content about your brand for a small fee.
Measure your progress
It’s important to use analytics to ensure you’re on track with your strategies. For instance, if your goal is to increase traffic to your website, you need to pay attention to the amount of referral traffic coming from your social networks.