10 Tips to Radically Improve Your Social Media Presence
Having a strong social media presence is crucial for your business. This guide lists 10 tips to radically improve your social media presence.
Been thinking about social media marketing to boost your small business?
The global pandemic has obliterated businesses and livelihoods. While it is still possible to increase the brand awareness for your small business, how can you promote it in the middle of the pandemic?
The solution is through the help of social media!
If you are experiencing low sales and weak lead generation, social media can move your business forward. If you don't know where to start, don't worry, we got you! We have a list of 10 simple, yet powerful tips to increase your social media presence right here.
1. Plan Your Strategy
Start with an online marketing game plan for small businesses.
First off, assemble a team that will be responsible for the social media accounts. Your team can range from just you and me (if you hire Sparq!) to an entire marketing department.
After that, you can start by answering these several questions:
- What is your marketing strategy? What's worked in the past? What hasn't worked in the past?
- What is your brand promise? Mission statement?
- Who is your target audience? Are you marketing to a certain demographic?
- What is your content strategy? Have you identified your core offerings and pillar content (more below)?
A content strategy is crucial to make it simple for your followers to take action. You probably know that a confused customer doesn't buy! So let's get to work clarifying your goals and developing your content strategy.
Pillar Content
Single Grain puts it this way - the basic characteristics of pillar content include:
- It solves a problem or answers a question with comprehensive, accurate information.
- It’s different in scope or detail from other content on the subject.
- It’s some combination of trustworthy, useful or interesting.
Create pillar content for your brand so that your target market keeps coming back for more. This blog post, for instance, is an example of pillar content. It’s comprehensive in nature with tons of valuable content for my readers.
Opening Channels of Communication
One of Sparq's methodologies is to encourage businesses to update three channels of communication to customers or clients on a regular basis. Businesses often wonder why they aren't generating more business when the truth is that they may not understand one important thing. Most likely your potential audience doesn't know how you can solve their problems!
By using the three channels of communication below, you ensure that you're promoting your products and services where your audience will search.
These channels have stood the test of time and are still relevant. Some of the hottest social media platforms of the day may come and go but as long as you're driving your followers to your email list (you own your email list; you don't own your social media) you'll be able to create customer loyalty.
2. Use Multiple Social Media Platforms
Most people are familiar with social media but often stick with their usual main platforms, only 1 or 2, that they understand.
If you want to reach more people, you need to create multiple accounts where your target market "lives". Use Facebook for in-depth consumer engagement to get people to impulse-purchase. But don't stop there! Create thumb-stopping images with Canva to target people visually using Instagram. And, have you tried Pinterest?
Try Pinterest to Attract a New Audience to Your Content
Try something new. Enable your website with widgets so that visitors can easily save your beautiful images to Pinterest, allowing your pin to gain more viewers.
As an example of the Pinterest widget, go to the top of this blog post and hover over the image on the page. You'll see the small Pinterest icon in the top right corner just like the image below.
When logged into Pinterest, you (or a reader on my site) can click the Pinterest logo and easily pin the image to Pinterest to read for later, or better yet, save them to a board of theirs to share my content.
Do it Yourself!
To do this, go to Pinterest Developer Tools. I used the Save Button option and then chose to use the "Image Hover” button. You’ll be able to see a preview of what the Pinterest logo will look like. When you’ve chosen your custom options, be sure to copy and paste the code(s) that you’re given on the page where you want the button to appear. There are two codes to use, and you’ll need to add both to your blog. When you’re finished, you’ve just added the functionality so that your readers can save your content!
3. Integrate Visual Marketing
According to a study, human beings can process visuals much faster than text. People find visually appealing imagery more interesting and engaging than a big block of letters. Well-designed images can step up your marketing game and help you attract more customers.
My favorite online design tool is Canva...take a look how easy it is to create beautiful designs! Designing appealing graphics includes choosing the right color and proper placement of visual elements. Creating different designs, using elements of color, and giving your audience what they want will add value and relevancy to your brand.
Consumers are savvy when they are researching their next purchase. Give them what they need to travel down the buyer's journey and go from the "awareness" phase to the "decision" phase. To do this, create how-to video demos of your products and/or services so your customers can learn more about what you offer.
4. Engage with Your Audience
Develop a good relationship with your audience and followers by engaging with them on social media.
Engage with your followers who comment on your posts. Commenting with a meaningful response, answering a customer service inquiry, or even a quick "like" on their comment can make a huge difference with a potential customer. "Listen" to what they comment on then start responding with relevancy.
Engaging with your audience is a great way to foster brand loyalty and trust from your customers.
5. Build Loyal Followers with Newsletters
An email newsletter can help you promote your brand while engaging with your present and future clients. Your subscribers will feel connected with you and your brand when they receive updates about your social events and promotions.
You can offer exclusive specials for the people who follow your newsletter. Stay top-of-mind to your subscribers and you'll create loyalty.
In composing the newsletter, don't be too sales-y. You can check out our list of top 5 email marketing trends to guide you on how to do it the right way.
6. Schedule Your Posts
It’s crucial for your small business to remain consistent on social media. Your audience needs to see your posts often enough so they can recognize your brand. Commit to a posting schedule to by scheduling your posts.
To help you with that, most social media platforms have a scheduling feature natively on the platform. You can create a post beforehand and the system will post it at the time you selected.
Try This
Have you tried Creator Studio to post to Facebook and Instagram? It will help you schedule your content quickly and easily...and it's free.
7. Create Your Content to Entertain
Your content must be relevant and engaging to entice your audience. In addition to the how-to videos about your products and services that I mentioned above, entertain your audience to add to your brand promise.
Content ideas include:
This list of ideas to entertain your audience to boost your social media presence and attract people different from your usual demographic audience is cornerstone to the content creation process. I received one of the best reviews ever from a client recently. I created this this recent post for a client:
The mom called her daughter, the owner of the restaurant, to tell her that she loved the post! How's that for a testimonial!
8. Invest in Ads
How can you build awareness for your business? Invest in paid ads. This maximizes your use of social media to reach more people than you can organically.
Ads can also help increase traffic and leads to your online accounts.
For example, if you're selling fitness products then you can expect the majority of your target audience may be men and women interested in health related topics. Targeted ads can be served to your audience at the right time and then the right audience can learn more about your products or services.
If you want more specialized ads on social media for small business owners, then it's time to hire a social media manager. We are experts who can guide and give you advice on custom content, ads, and strategy.
9. Pay Attention and Adjust
Start removing what doesn't work and improve on what does work for you. I had a mentor years ago that said, "Do more of what works and less of what doesn't." Sounds like great advice, right?
It's important to track your social media platforms. Ask yourself:
- How is your audience reacting to your content?
- What does your audience comment on the most?
- What are the best times to post?
Use the data to your advantage to develop a good content strategy to further boost your small business.
10. Social Media Should Be PART of Your Strategy, Not the ENTIRE Strategy
It's important to be ambitious about your social media but know that success doesn't build overnight. You have to build it and "they" will come!
Use other traditional marketing tactics to generate leads. Many local Chamber of Commerce organizations have ways that you can advertise. Also, direct mail campaigns have proven beneficial for many industries, such as dental offices, restaurants, and more.
Besides, you still need to work on your actual business. Make sure that you don't slack on operating your day-to-day procedures. Remember that your core business is the main reason why people are buying your products or hiring you for your services.
Follow These Simple Tips to Improve Your Social Media Presence
Here are the many ways you can get a breakthrough in your social media presence and boost your business! Don’t let your social media accounts sit idle. Social media can help boost sales, improve your brand marketing, and help you engage with your consumers.
Don’t stop learning here!
If you want to learn more about social media marketing for small business ventures, get in touch with us right here!
