As a small business, especially if you are just starting out, you likely know that you need to be actively marketing via social media, but you may not know how or where to start. Once you do get started, do you know how to keep things going? One of the hardest aspects of social media marketing is keeping things fresh and active so the audience stays engaged.
Relevant and Useful
You want to have an audience that is interested in your page on a daily basis even if they do not need your specific product or service every day. That way, when they do need what you are selling, whatever it may be, it will be only natural to bring their business to you. This also increased the chance they will send their friends to you. The key to this is relevant and useful information. Your social media has to be more than just one big advertisement. It has to offer information that people want, and making it relevant to your product or service is better. An example could be a Facebook page for a maker of children’s clothing linking to information about parenting or raising kids. Maybe a mechanic could offer quick and easy auto care tips or short how-to videos for things that can be handled the DIY way.
Blog and Auto Post
While not necessary, a business blog is a great tool as much of the information you want to include on your Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ feeds can link right back to your own blog. Post those auto care videos on the blog, or write your own or hire a writer to write posts related to child care and parenting. Whatever the topic may be, if the link goes back to your own page so much the better for you. You can even save yourself time by setting blog posts to post to social media sites automatically when published. News stories, current events, and articles from experts on the topic are great information to Tweet and post status updates about as well, just be certain not to link to a competitor!
Build Your Audience
These are great tips for building and keeping an audience, but how do you build that audience. It is great to get those first few likes or followers, but how do you go beyond that? One tactic used often is to offer a contest or giveaway. The idea is that you give away something, usually something that the business sells, in exchange for likes and shares. For example, the maker of children’s clothing may say that each person who likes the page and shares the specific contest post will receive a gift card good for $25 dollars toward an outfit of choice. The mechanic could offer a drawing for a free oil change. This can often be hugely successful, then the trick is keeping all of those who came for the giveaway interested in the page so they remember you when they need you.
Circle Savvy
Another tip is to join relevant groups and circles, and make those hashtags count. If your local community has a page where local businesses can be discussed, join it. Use hashtags that include your business and the city you are located in to help ensure your name gets out to the locals. Follow local businesses, whether competitors or not, and interact with the audience. You never know when someone may have a related question you can answer. Take every opportunity to interact in these areas as well so that your name is known, and make an effort to contribute in a meaningful way. Too much advertisement becomes spam.
Follow these simple tips and stay on top of things. Your business will soon have an online following that could lead to more business and more profits.
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