You need to incorporate social media into your small business’s marketing strategy. Your target audience, whether they’re down the street or across the country, are turning to social media more than ever to learn about products & services both local and beyond.
Here are 5 Things to Consider to get the most out of your small business marketing strategy, curated by the social media experts at Thumbstopper.
Number 1, diversify your social media presence and get your business onto as many social media platforms as possible. Whether you’re looking into Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Google; every social media platform fulfills a unique niche to help elevate your business’s visibility. Google (for example) is key for discovery, as most people turn to the search engine for recommendations and reviews about small businesses. Instagram on the other hand, is a crowd favorite for posting pictures & tagging businesses to spread the word about cool new places. It’s hard to imagine, but your customers genuinely want to advertise your business for you! Giving them an easy way to tag your business by being on as many platforms as possible is the less you can do to promote user generated content.
Let’s move onto number 2. Creating a strategy that includes both paid & organic content. Having a successful social media strategy isn’t expensive, but it’s not entirely free either. The best way to get the best bang for your buck is to combine both paid & organic content to not only reel in new followers but keep them engaged after they like your page. For example, Facebook & Instagram have built-in advertising tools so you can upload an ad & tailor the audience that will receive it based on age, location, gender, and interests. Depending on your target demographic, a successful ad can cost as little as $5 – $10 a week and reach thousands of users that fit your specifications. Creating a low-cost ad campaign like this is the best way to guarantee growth, but it’s equally as importantly to keep them engaged afterwards. Which is why I want to stress the importance of regularly scheduled, organic content, that your audience wants to be looking at.
Now that you have a steady stream of content, consider number 3, engaging other businesses. The world is a crowded place, and you aren’t the only small business vying for attention. Outside of paid ad campaigns, the next best solution for reaching new followers is to show up on a page they’re already following. Keep an eye out for local businesses or complementary businesses that are a part of your industry to share posts with. Consider even reaching out for a potential collaboration so both businesses can benefit from each other’s audiences. Think of social media like a digital chamber of commerce! The networking opportunities are endless and mutually beneficial.
Now that we’re nearing the end of the list I want to stress the importance of tip number 4, revisiting your strategy to maximize ROI. Constantly keep an eye on your insights to see which posts perform best and plan accordingly. You’re going to notice that certain types of posts that are published at certain times perform better than others. If you’re a restaurant, it might be high quality pictures of your favorite entrees. If you’re a retailer, it might be giveaways or special events posted on the weekend. The only way to know for sure is to locate the analytics section on your social media platform of choice and plan accordingly. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out which posts result in the best engagement. We even have a whole video about how to find the best time to post on social media! If you’re interested, check it out in the description below.
Now. You have a variety of social media pages, a steady stream of both paid & organic content, and a network of other businesses to interact with. But let’s be honest, time is always a top challenge for small business owners and managers. Digital marketing can feel like another item on an endless to-do list and one of the easiest to delay. Which leads us to number 5. Utilizing supplemental services to save time and money. One of the biggest myths surrounding digital marketing is that it all has to be executed in the same place. The good news is that you don’t have to choose between all or nothing.
With ThumbStopper, you get the top-notch content your brands already produce, pushed to your social media channels effortlessly and for much less cost than you might expect. With that major task off your plate, you can focus on more of the fun social media posts, letting your business’ personality shine.
Find out how ThumbStopper can do the heavy-lifting for you. Visit Thumbstopper.com or subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tips on how you can take charge of your business’s social media.