Social Media Marketing for the Small Business Owner
With high streets closing more doors than ever and people being able to purchase anything in just a few clicks it’s vital to use social media strategically as a small business owner. “There are now 4.76 billion social media users around the world, equating to just under 60 percent of the total global population”(1) and the chart below from Datareportal shows how this figure has grown over the last 10 years (1).
Why?
With social media usage growing, you can use it for a whole host of reasons including advertising your products, creating brand awareness, creating trust with your customers and even hiring new staff. You can see what is and isn’t working for your brand using analytics and carry out competitor analysis too. Most people think social media marketing is solely about pushing your products but it’s really a whole lot more!
What platform?
When you’re first starting out it can feel incredibly overwhelming trying to decipher which social media channels are right for your brand and some people fall into the trap of posting on each one and risking burn out. In order to decide where to post you need to understand your customers. Facebook is probably the most versatile platform in that it has the most users and hosts all sorts of content. Twitter is great for short, snappy bursts of information and for having a conversation with your customers. Instagram and Pinterest are great if your product is visual. TikTok can be an incredible tool for your business if your target audience is younger and you have the time to make interesting content. It’s worth spending some time researching your target audience and understanding what social media sites they’re on.
What to post?
I think one of the most important aspects of social media is consistency. You will grow a following if people know what they can expect from you. If you have a food blog and you post fantastic looking recipes, your viewers will know what to expect and follow you if they want to see more of that. Where you post will also have an impact here though. You really need to make your social media work for you - if you’re posting a TikTok video of funny outtakes, you probably don’t want to be posting that to your LinkedIn page where it’s a bit more serious. Know your target audience and then hone in on this for each platform.
Don’t forget social media platforms let you see your analytics if you’re posting as a business. Utilise these and see what’s working and what isn’t for your business.
If you’re stuck for inspiration, take a look at my free social media planner for 2023 here.
Summary
Social media, if used correctly, is a vital tool in growing your business. It’s important to do your research first and discover which platforms are right for you. It doesn’t stop there though, after you’ve discovered which platform/s to post on you need to check back and see what is and isn’t working for your business and implement this in future social media strategies. It’s a lot of work and some businesses take months or even years to fully see the potential but if done correctly, social media can massively boost your small business.
References:
1) DIGITAL 2023: GLOBAL OVERVIEW REPORT, Simon Kemp, 26 January 2023
