5 Ways to Use Social Media to Grow Your Small Business
Social media marketing is a great way for small businesses to reach out and grow their following. Social media has been around for over a decade now, but it wasn't until recently that many people realized its potential as a marketing tool. In this post, we will discuss 5 ways you can use social media to grow your small business's following.
1. Social media is a great way to interact with your customers
When your business interacts with customers on social media, it shows them that you care about their opinions. It is more than just trying to sell a product or service; businesses can listen to what people are saying and then act accordingly.
For example, if someone reaches out about something they're unhappy with on Twitter, your company may see this tweet and offer the customer some kind of solution like remedying the situation or sending them coupons for future purchases in order to keep their business. This way, not only did you make the customer happy but also potentially gained another follower because of how quickly things were resolved!
So remember when interacting with your followers on social media: respond quickly and be sure to address any complaints right away so that you can rectify the situation ASAP.
2. Create an account on all the popular social networks, such as Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Many people use all of these social media platforms to interact with friends, family members, and businesses. If you want your business's name out there in the vast internet world, it is essential that you create an account on each one of them!
Not only will this increase brand awareness but also help potential customers find you when they search for certain brands or products online. It helps expose your company to different audiences depending on which platform people are using at any given time. For example, if someone is looking up a recipe on Pinterest while cooking dinner, they may stumble upon something from your food truck and begin following you because their friend recommended it - now leaving two satisfied customers instead of just one!
Keep in mind: not every social media platform is right for every business or even every stage of a business, BUT you should create an account and claim your username on all large social media platforms just in case you want to activate on a new platform down the road.
3. Share content that is relevant to your business - not just personal posts or advertisements on their social media
We often see businesses share advertisements and personal posts on their social media pages. While this kind of content has its place, it is important to share content that will resonate and add value to both potential and current clients. You should find a way to share content that represents your brand in a way that is authentic and not constantly selling.
For example, if you are a bakery it would be beneficial to share recipes on some of your social media pages. This way people who follow the page will not only see what is new in store but also get ideas on how they can make some tasty dishes at home.
4. Post interesting videos about your products or services
The goal of a video is to make customers want to learn more about your company and what it has to offer. Videos should be engaging, shareable, and informative. You can use a variety of videos including product demonstrations, interesting facts, or behind-the-scenes footage that show viewers how you create your products/services. If you're brave, you can hop on a TikTok or Instagram reels challenge to add personality to your business.
By using videos for this kind of content marketing, business owners can see an increase in website traffic as well as potential sales conversions from social media users who are interested in learning more about their brand. Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest have all leaned into video recently by organically promoting video content much more heavily than static posts. If video isn't part of your marketing plan yet, now might be the time!
5. Use hashtags so people can find you more easily
The best way to use hashtags for your business is by first understanding how people are using them. A hashtag can be used on social media to group together multiple posts and conversations around a specific topic, whether that’s related to marketing or something else entirely. For example, you could type in #marketingtips into the search bar on Instagram and see all the latest posts that contain this particular hashtag.
You can also "claim" a particular hashtag for your business for customers to use and tag their photos with. This helps you easily find user-generated content (or UGC) and can create a community that fosters current customer relationships and inspires new ones.
Social media marketing is a powerful tool that can help you grow your business. But, it’s not as simple as just sharing posts on Instagram or Facebook and waiting for the results to come in.
To get the most out of social media marketing over time, you need to build an effective foundation—start by remembering these three steps:
Create compelling content before posting anything online
Focus on building relationships
Measure what works best for your audience by paying attention to metrics like shares, likes, comments, etc.
These are all easy tricks that will have success snowballing into more prospects coming through your doors - so start today! For even more tips on how to make social media work for you tune into The Marketing Greenhouse Podcast with Jen and Jessie every Wednesday!
