As a small business owner or marketer, you may be wondering if Social Media Marketing would really work for you. It is estimated that 93% of small businesses use social media as a marketing channel, but whether they are doing it effectively and get return on investment is a debatable point.
Which Social Media Network to use? Most marketers for small businesses try to throw resources at all popular social networks, but do not realize they have limited time and resources. If you are not clear about which network to use, read the guides below.
Guide to Facebook Marketing for Small Business
With 1.04 billion daily active users, this is the biggest social network by far. Even with limited resources you can succeed with these tips:
- Use the cover photo to showcase your brand and change it periodically for new products or deals
- Use a compelling description in the "our story" section with correct category, website URL, and working hours
- Add a call-to-action button — shop online, call, message, send email
- Use engaging posts to build reputation — videos, how-to guides, behind the scenes — but do not try to sell directly
- Review performance from "Insights" to see what types of posts work best
Twitter for Small Business in 2018
Smaller companies are still unsure whether they need Twitter. Organic reach of tweets has become limited. The trick is to engage directly with people. Monitor conversations about your keywords and reply to users directly.
Share interesting videos — over 80% of users watch videos and are more than 2x likely to engage compared to other media. Tweet each post multiple times over a week or month so more followers see it.
Instagram Strategy for Small Business in 2018
Instagram is the fastest growing network with 800 million monthly active users. 90% of Instagram users are younger than 35. It's a mobile-first app focused on visuals.
Think about opportunities to snap photos: offices, events, celebrations, and customers using your product. Link your Instagram to other networks. Write a crisp bio and convert to a business profile for Insights access.
Use trending and popular hashtags — posts with many hashtags get more engagement. You can use up to 30 hashtags in a post. Ramp up your follower list by 'regramming' other people's content.
Advertising on Social Media
Advertising on Facebook and Instagram is affordable. You can boost well-performing posts for as low as $20. Target by Location, Interests, Age, and Gender.
Interact with Fans
Be prompt in responding to comments, thanking for positive ones and tactfully countering negative ones. By engaging regularly, you'll build a loyal community of advocates.
Try Innovative Tactics
Execute a social media takeover by a celebrity or influencer in your niche to connect with new audiences, increase engagement, and build your brand.
Measure the Returns
Create goals, set targets, and attach a value to each goal. Track conversions in Google Analytics using UTM parameters. Useful goals include email sign-ups, downloads, sales leads, and purchases.
