Any marketer who works in a startup is part of a small marketing team or the only marketer within the organization or is handling all aspects of the business, they are aware of the roles involved. An SME needs to churn out a multitude of deliverables each day to survive; social media marketing can easily become a casualty of daily business that never gets done because there are far more pressing matters. But perhaps, eliminating the social media approach might be a big mistake.
Why does social media matter?
Social media is far from an over-marketing tool; it is now a way people interact with each other and share information. According to statistics, the user is bound to spend most of their daily time using their phone, and a majority of this time is spent on social media networks.
Besides, such social media users often engage with brands they are concerned with or patronize at that juncture. This means that not only is social media a free tool for businesses, but your customers and prospects are already present on this platform and ready to consume your content.
The potential for small businesses
Since most small business targets the community and individual customers, social media is an effective tool to raise brand recognition and popularity. It also helps to generate useful leads which cannot be said of other forms of advertising. As you develop usable content and assets, it becomes possible to bring value that is meaningful to the prospects and customers to be able to help in building the relationship with your brand. When the audience chooses your content or products, they want something—that’s why they are more inclined to make a buy compared to completely unrelated advertisements.
The Big Five social media platforms for small businesses
To get started, you’ll need to set up business accounts on key platforms. Here are the five major social media platforms you should focus on:
1. Facebook marketing for small business
With over 1 billion daily users, Facebook remains one of the largest social media platforms. It offers powerful tools for building target audiences and connecting with potential customers.
What to post:
Share updates about sales, promotions, and new products.
Post various content types to gauge what resonates with your audience.
How often to share:
Aim for about one post per day. Excessive posting can lead to audience disengagement.
Tips to boost engagement:
Keep your tone casual and relatable while providing value.
Use local humor or references to foster a community feel.
2. LinkedIn marketing for small business
LinkedIn, with over 250 million monthly active users, is the leading platform for B2B marketing. It’s where professionals connect and share valuable insights.
What to post:
Share industry-related insights, company updates, and professional achievements.
Use video content to enhance engagement.
How often to share:
Post at least once a week to maintain visibility.
Tips to boost engagement:
Keep content helpful and insightful, and encourage employee advocacy to extend your reach.
3. Twitter marketing for small business
Twitter is known for its fast-paced, conversational nature, with over 500 million tweets sent daily.
What to post:
Use a mix of promotional content, industry news, and lighthearted engagement.
How often to share:
Multiple posts per day can help your tweets get noticed amid the constant flow of information.
Tips to boost engagement:
Stay casual and playful; retweet and engage with others to foster community.
4. Instagram marketing for small business
Instagram is the most visual platform, boasting 1 billion users and 500 million daily active users. It offers various formats, including posts and Stories.
What to post:
Use high-quality visuals to embody your brand’s story and values.
Leverage Stories for behind-the-scenes glimpses and casual engagement.
How often to share:
Consistency is key; aim for a few posts per week and frequent Stories.
Tips to boost engagement:
Utilize eye-catching visuals and compelling captions, and incorporate popular hashtags to increase discoverability.
5. YouTube marketing for small business
With 1.9 billion monthly active users, YouTube is a massive platform for video content and a great way to enhance your brand’s credibility.
What to post:
Focus on “how-to” videos and repackage existing content in video format.
How often to share:
Post as often as your team can maintain quality, tracking referral traffic to gauge performance.
Tips to boost engagement:
Optimize videos for SEO, use catchy titles, and include clear calls to action to drive traffic back to your site.
Tracking progress and utilizing tools
Implementing a successful social media strategy requires ongoing tracking and adjustments. Monitoring your performance will help you make informed decisions about the direction of your campaigns. Social media management software can aid in scheduling posts, tracking engagement, and analyzing performance metrics.
Best social media marketing strategies
Post regularly
Posting frequency varies; generally, aim for:
- Facebook: 1-2 posts/day
- Twitter: 5-10 posts/day
- Instagram: 1-2 posts/day
Consistency is key to maintaining visibility.
Keep it light
Use a friendly brand voice. Avoid jargon and clickbait, and incorporate humor to foster connections with your audience.
Use the right hashtags
Hashtags boost visibility and engagement. Research relevant hashtags using tools like Hashtagify. Avoid irrelevant or overly long hashtags.
Tag people & companies
Tagging relevant individuals or brands in your posts increases exposure and engagement.
Use good-quality graphics
Eye-catching images grab attention. Use tools like Canva to create high-quality visuals.
Post videos
Videos are highly engaging. Consider creating testimonials, product demos, or how-to videos. Use tools like Headliner or Loom for video creation.
Post engaging content
Create original, actionable content. Ideas include blog shares, company updates, industry news, customer testimonials, and quotes.
Schedule posts at optimal times
Analyze when your audience is most active and schedule posts accordingly. Using the best social media scheduling tool can assist with this process, allowing you to optimize your posting strategy for maximum impact.
Conclusion
Social media marketing is another unique blend that may be inexpensive and natural when it comes to brand development. This group is an excellent example that it is more effective to concentrate on an active and devoted audience rather than many anonymous viewers. It is always better to have hundreds of followers who will at least once a week comment on your post than to have thousands of followers who hardly notice your posts.
By developing a strategic approach tailored to your audience and goals, your small business can harness the power of social media to foster connections, generate leads, and ultimately drive success. With dedication and creativity, your social media efforts can yield impressive results and help your business
