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Small Business Social Media Marketing 101

By November 10, 2021No Comments

For the last 20 years, social media has been growing nonstop. We have seen the many changes brought to different social media platforms and have grown with them. Social media means different things to different individuals. But the question to ask is, what does it mean for my business and me? Or better yet… my small business? 

One of the best tools you can implement into your small business is social media marketing. Yes, it is a daring task to learn and implement, but the chance to become an expert at it while sharing your brand with many faces should be enough to get started. 

Unsure where to start on becoming an expert? Welcome to small business social media marketing 101. 

DO YOUR RESEARCH 

Before even creating your accounts, do some much-needed research:

  1. Explore the platforms. Research the different social media platforms to better understand them. Look at different pages and accounts to become comfortable with managing your own accounts. Transition from a personal mindset to a business mindset. 
  2. Competition. Gather an understanding of competitors already active on these sites. Get a feel for who is already out there and differentiate yourself from them. Become the master in your field. 
  3. Find your audience. Find the kind of individual you would want on your page possibly purchasing from you. Build personas and demographics of your ideal target market. 
  4. Platforms. Decide what social platforms you want to be seen on. Would it be Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or all of the above? Choose which ones you want to drive your business on and where the success will come from. 

The best way to get started with social media is to become familiar with the project you are taking on. Do the research necessary in order to find success.

KNOW YOUR WHY

Why do you want to be a face on social media? Is it to become an influencer? Is it to connect with family and friends? Or is it to share your business on a new platform? Social media has expanded since it was first introduced and the use of social media has changed throughout time. Understand why you are on social media. Come up with your “why” and make sure to offer that value to your audience.

Most individuals are on social media for a few reasons. When you decide on the reasoning behind your social media, your audience will grow. The right audience will grow as you stick to your reason and your content becomes applicable to them. Social media is used to feel connected and people want to feel like they are connected to you somehow. Be applicable to the needs of your audience. Once you do that, the right people will follow you for the right reasons. 

CREATE A PLAN

Do you know of any project that succeeded without some sort of plan? Probably not. It is best to have every detail mapped out beforehand. Creating a plan with social media looks a little different than writing a list, creating the blueprints, or having a lineup. It is about knowing what your creatives are going to look like and what your caption will say. Will it include hashtags or not? These details planned ahead of time will ensure the highest quality of content.

Here are some details you can include in your small business social media marketing plan:

    • Think of a theme for your accounts. Have that consistent through all pages—bringing unity to your brand message. When you have a consistent theme throughout your accounts, the content flows smoother for the audience to read and understand. 
    • Have brand assets. Whether you offer products or services, it’s important to have brand images consistent with your theme. This could include product photos or lifestyle images. Continuously update these brand images to offer the audience “never before seen” content.
    • Content Calendar. Creating a content calendar will make it easier to map out your social media posts beforehand. The calendar should include what creative you’ll be using (photo/video/etc.), the intended copy (caption/hashtags/etc.), which platform you’ll be posting to, and other details you wish to include in your posts. 
  • HELPFUL HINT: If you are having trouble making the right creatives, there are endless amounts of tools that can be used to help you do so. Always use the tools available to you. They can be an aid in social media creation. RESOURCES FOR CONTENT CREATION. These resources will help you create the right kind of content for your page. Don’t be afraid to get help and try something new. 

SHOW UP

Social media marketing can transform your small business. You need to be willing to put in the effort to show up on someone’s feed. You can put in the effort to see the results, by being consistent. Become steady with your posting—you decide what that looks like! It could be every day… every other day… three times a week… you decide. Choose the timeline that is best with your business goals. Be the expert in your field and show up on the feed of others.

One tool that is not utilized enough with small businesses is stories. One of the easiest and quickest ways to show up on someone’s feed is using the story option on social platforms. These are some of the simpler ways to put your brand on someone’s feed. It is the simpler and easier form of a social media post. Make sure to utilize all aspects of social media, the possibilities are endless.

One of the best ways you can show up is by interacting with your audience. Individuals don’t want to see social media pages as if a robot built them. They want to see interaction; they want to build relationships. What is the easiest way to make followers know I am not a bot? React to comments, links, and shares. Follow individuals that follow you, it is important to be selective with who you follow but not scarce.

When it comes to showing up, just be there for your audience. Tell them your story, inform them of who you are and why you are there. People long to feel a connection and social media is one of the biggest channels to execute that feeling.

GOOD THINGS TAKE TIME

Lastly, remember all good things take time. You will not be an influencer on your social media in one day. Organic social media takes time, effort, and persistence. When you are running a small business, social media is one of the greatest tools you can use to grow your name. Use social media to your advantage; understand and be comfortable with the pace you are growing. If you aren’t, do what is needed to change. 

Whatever direction you choose to run your social media, put yourself into it. Love what you are doing and you will become an expert. It is easier than you think, all you have to do is take that initial step forward and move in the direction of growing your small business through social media marketing.

If you want to learn more about how social media can help grow your small business, reach out to Set Fire Creative today! Let us help you show your brand on social media.