Social media marketing is no longer an option for today’s small business owner.
With as many as 90% of small businesses using social media, the question isn’t when, but how you will use it to expand and grow your reach.
But too often, business owners feel stumped by social media, allowing it to take a back seat instead of harnessing its power.
Maybe it’s a fear of the unknown or the overwhelm that comes with learning something new. Whatever the case, the effective use of social media can confuse even the most seasoned business marketer.
But the good news is this.
No matter what stage you’re in, you can reinvent your online presence.
Make a few tweaks to shift your use of social media and immediately improve your results.
10 Social Media Tactics
1. Establish a Plan
Your first step is to establish a strategic social media marketing plan. This should include goals, objectives and key success indicators.
What are you hoping to achieve? What does success look like? You can’t start using social media to market your business until you understand its purpose and value.
Once you know what you want to get out of social media, now you can determine what to put into it. Create an editorial calendar to keep your posting consistent.
Why use an editorial calendar in your business?
Co-Schedule suggests that like a traditional editorial calendar, your social media calendar should:
- Provide a place to generate post ideas and key topics.
- Assign writing and other editorial tasks to key members of your team.
- Create a publishing schedule that helps you maintain a consistent presence.
- Allow you to visualize your marketing strategy in a way that everyone can understand.
- Act as a communication point to team members.
Let your editorial calendar act as a daily roadmap, providing strategic guidance on what and when you will post.
2. Know Your Customer
In a survey by Yodle, 42% of small business owners admitted that customer acquisition is their number one concern. While social media makes it easier than ever to connect with the right audience, its key to understand their needs.
To truly make the most of social media, first get into the head of your target market. Who are they, why are they spending their time online and what need does your product, service or system fill?
Knowing their “why” will allow you to speak to it. Your next step is to create a persona based on your target market. Outline their exact specifications. This should include gender, nationality, industry/work/vocation, and location.
As you post to your social media channels, envision the person you’re talking to. I guarantee that it will make a world of difference in your tone, voice and message.
3. Be a Resource
If you want to connect with your perfect customer, you need to become a valuable resource. Share content on a daily basis with a no strings attached social media policy.
In order to build rapport and establish trust, you must set expectations and then exceed them. How can you do this?
Steps to Become a Valued Resource
- Identify what top three problems you solve and then use that information within your content.
- Create unique content and begin to give away your valuable insight.
- Share your expertise through various types of media. From video tutorials to webinars, provide solutions to your customer’s most pressing needs.
- Curate other industry professional’s content and add it to your mix.
- Tell, don’t sell. The better you share your company story, the more your audience can connect on an intimate level.
4. Choose Your Channels
Just like customers, not every social network is right for your business. That means you need to identify where your customers spend their time online.
Would you like to know whether they’re on Facebook, Google+ or Twitter? ASK!
If you’re managing an email list (and you should) then use it to do a little detective work. Use a tool like Survey Monkey or create a Google Form and ask your customers which social network they hang out on.
Once you know where they are, you can better focus your efforts. Your next step is optimization to ensure anyone looking for your company can find you.
Optimize Your Profile
- From Facebook to Google+, each social channel offers a way for you to share your expertise, skills and solutions. Complete each bio, use keywords and industry terms, and encourage interaction by connecting your website, blog and other social channels.
- Share specific details about your business, including your background, education, awards, testimonials and offerings.
- Answer frequently asked questions. This falls under the “tell, don’t sell” advice I offered above.
5. Create Brand Consistency
Your social media cover should be a direct representation of who you are and what your business is all about. Make sure your use of color, font and images are all “on brand.”
This means you’ve identified your brand look and feel both offline and online. Now translate that across social media to create consistency.
Streamlined branding allows fans and followers to immediately connect the dots between you and your business.
Grab this social media image size cheat sheet from Louise Meyers to get the correct dimensions for each social network. Also take a look at her own social media branding. She’s consistent from one network to the next.
6. Make it Personal
Create more meaningful relationships by going deeper with your social media community.
Ask questions and pay attention to the answers. Find stats and other relevant industry data. Then take that information and turn it into valuable posts and tweets.
Keri Jaehnig, Social Media Director & Founder Idea Girl Media does an excellent job engaging her Twitter followers. She shares tips, advice and interesting industry tidbits to get to know her audience.
You can do the same. You have the experience and knowledge to solve your customers problems, but you can’t truly help your audience until you get to know them.
78%+ of Marketers plan to use #SocialMedia Data to drive #Marketing campaigns. Thoughts?
— Keri Jaehnig (@kerijaehnig) September 7, 2014
7. Be Visually Appealing
If Pinterest has proven nothing else, it’s that we’re visual creatures. Use images to improve engagement and boost the conversation happening around your posts.
Take Twitter for example. Recent stats show that adding an image to your tweet can improve shares by 200%. Those are numbers any business can appreciate. Someone who uses this strategy with great success is social media strategist, Peg Fitzpatrick.
Peg manages social for Guy Kawasaki and Canva, two communities with a hunger for visual eye-candy. She will regularly create graphics specifically for Twitter to increase engagement and shares. Peg’s perfect tweet formula,
“I recommend tweeting with attached images in the 2:1 image aspect ratio or 876 pixels by 438 pixels. This puts in a beautiful image on your tweet. Below is an embedded tweet with an attached image.”
Apply These Proven Techniques To Improve on @LinkedIn Today http://t.co/Jiv6AF1y4y #LinkedIn pic.twitter.com/MFrFcRysDz
— Peg Fitzpatrick (@PegFitzpatrick) September 7, 2014
8. Diversify Your Content
No one is one-dimensional. Make sure your content isn’t either. Change it up and ensure that you find a nice balance between professional and personal.
It’s not only important to add flavor to your social media posts, but also your thoughts. People want to hear your thoughts and ideas. They don’t want you to throw content at them without any thought behind it.
How to Diversify Your Content
- Take the standard link post and add context to it.
- Share an Infographic and add your thoughts around the stats.
- Add your feedback, ask a question or give an explanation as to why the content you share is important.
9. Manage Your Efforts and Reputation
There’s no sense in investing in social media, if you can’t manage and track your efforts.
Stay on top of the conversation happening around your business through social monitoring tools like Sprout Social. This allows you to be proactive in responding to any questions. It also keeps you in the know.
Have you encountered a potentially damaging post or tweet about your business? Were you the first one to hear about it? As we all know, social media waits for no one. Monitor your reputation by actively listening. This lets you assess the situation and quickly get involved.
10. Be Resilient
With the daily barrage of social media content and conversations, it’s easy to find your head reeling. It’s also easy to find yourself swimming in a sea of doubt and frustration.
While not every campaign or strategy is going to work, you have to persist, even when it feels like you’re spinning your wheels.
If you can adjust your strategy and consistently manage change, your small business will reap the rewards.
ef lens mount says
November 2, 2016 at 3:16 pmHave you ever considered publishing an ebook or guest authoring on other sites?
I have a blog based upon on the same subjects you discuss
and would love to have you share some stories/information. I know my visitors
would value your work. If you are even remotely interested, feel
free to shoot me an e-mail.
Marc Zazeela says
March 8, 2016 at 4:44 amRebekah,
Well done. I think a lot of small businesses struggle deciding what are the top three problems they solve for their customers. It’s like the classic elevator pitch. Most folks have trouble with that too.
Thanks for your inspiration.
Marc
terri says
February 24, 2016 at 4:00 amBrilliant advice from you as always Rebekah!
emad omer says
January 6, 2016 at 11:23 amsalodo tolos amegos
marcus wahl says
December 30, 2015 at 3:51 amNice lay out allowed for quick scanning great Info too thanks
Rebekah Radice says
December 31, 2015 at 7:16 pmThanks Marcus and thanks so much for stopping by!
Razis says
October 27, 2015 at 11:14 amI really inspired with this article. I enjoyed read it. Very informative And i hope i can use this to run my social media campaign for my small business.
Thanks a lot for this very very good article
Andrew McMaster says
July 17, 2015 at 1:59 pmGreat tips Rebekah. I love Google Form, something a lot of people either don’t know about or don’t use. I love it for its ease of use and of course you can access it anywhere. It’s also good to use for a quick contact form solution. It even integrates with mail services like MailChimp.
Ed Troxell Creative says
July 8, 2015 at 8:21 amFantastic article! All great tips here! I would like to point out the “Be a Resource” because that is huge!!! Being a resource is the best thing anybody can do! It means that people can trust you and the recommendations you give them. Everyone should strive for being a resource.
Carina says
July 4, 2015 at 8:59 pmEverything is very open with a clear clarification of the issues.
It was truly informative. Your site is very
useful. Thank you for sharing!
Wichly Cazeu says
April 16, 2015 at 7:45 amThat was a great article with tremendous value. Thanks for sharing!
I myself is new to social media. I’ve been trying to build brand awareness for the video surveillance equipments I plan to offer as a product. However, finding where my customers hangout, to who they are, why are they spending time online, to what needs my product/service or system fill not to mentioned everything else you’ve spoken on, have been a challenge.
However, I’ll continue to read on and follow you.
Thanks for everything you’ve been posting.
Rebekah Radice says
July 3, 2015 at 7:09 pmThat’s great to hear Wichly. Continue on!
Davina Brewer says
September 23, 2014 at 8:14 amAll of these are great tips Rebekah. So many small businesses don’t plan, don’t think about what and why they’re posting, or think about where and which audience; they often go the ‘set and forget’ spammy automation route vs. being helpful, engaging, human.
My only quibble is this statement: “There’s no sense investing in social media if…” It’s the right sentiment but my thing is this: It’s communications right, reputation management and branding building and customer service and employee recruitment and so many more things. Aren’t those great investments to make in your BUSINESS, not just your social media? Which is just to say you are absolutely right – this is an investment, you do need to plan, track, measure, earn results. So a SMB needs to make sure their business is worth it. FWIW.
Rebekah Radice says
November 8, 2014 at 4:09 pmI completely agree Davina. It’s all an investment for sure.
My point is this – you shouldn’t invest time or money into social media until you’re absolutely clear on why you’re using it. So many companies (big and small) leap into social media without a plan or any set goals.
As you said, you must plan, track and measure. Without any way to monitor and assess what you’re doing, it’s going to be very difficult to push yourself forward in a positive and productive way.
Tom Hunt says
December 23, 2015 at 3:31 amI totally resonate with this topic.
Apart from those things you’ve mentioned. It’s also noteworthy to not just measure how much growth you have with your followers/connections in social media. This things can go up and up, the bottomline is, are you getting conversions out from it? If not, are you doing something worthwhile with your connections? People don’t want to be sold, so you gotta respond promptly with these people and try to help them in any way. And who knows, they might give you what you want. 🙂
Have a great day guys!
Tom
Harish Bali says
September 17, 2014 at 8:43 pmhi Rebekah
I really loved reading each point mentioned by you. I paused for a while when i reached point number 3 & 4. Be a resource and choose your channels.
If i take your post as a mantra for the next 6 months then surely my presence on social media will get a lot more focussed.
Thumbs up to the post, for a reference i am going to bookmark it, will have to read and re read the points and execute them.
Rebekah Radice says
November 8, 2014 at 4:10 pmHi Harish! I look forward to hearing what your results are in the coming months!
Don Purdum says
September 17, 2014 at 8:08 amHi Rebekah,
I love this quote: If you want to connect with your perfect customer, you need to become a valuable resource.”
BINGO!
Too many are too busy selling and posting cute little stuff that makes little to no difference.
I agree that solving a problem is the key to using highly effective social media strategies.
Another tactic I’ve learned that is awesome is don’t be stingy. Share other people’s articles and social media posts and leave a little unique twist on them when you share to your pages.
It’s okay to have a positive opinion and give your followers a reason to check someone else out.
Know your channels and where your prospects hang out – well, I could go on hours upon hours on that discussion. I so agree with you. For me Google Plus and LinkedIn are huge. Not so much Facebook. Twitter is also also a really good platform for me.
Great post as always Rebekah. I really appreciate your insights!
~ Don Purdum
Louise Myers says
September 15, 2014 at 3:52 pmAnother outstanding article. I’m honored to be mentioned! Thanks, Rebekah!
Rebekah Radice says
November 8, 2014 at 3:57 pmYou always offer amazing advice Louise and your branding is beautiful. You’re an awesome example of brand consistency!
Cynthia V. Anderson says
July 2, 2015 at 5:48 pmThe link for the “Social Cheat Sheet” isn’t working.
Rebekah Radice says
July 3, 2015 at 7:10 pmHi Cynthia. Thanks for letting me know. It’s been fixed and will take you over to Louise’s cheat sheet.
Nirmala says
September 14, 2014 at 11:05 amYou’ve presented some great social media advice for the webmasters Rebekah 🙂
I completely agree with your tactics and #1, #2, #5 and #9 are the good advises for whom who wish to get good exposure in social media. Proper planning, familiar with audience problem, consistency in creating quality information and building brand name are some of the key points to be followed by small business owners.
Thanks for writing these splendid social media ideas for us 🙂
Rebekah Radice says
November 8, 2014 at 3:58 pmPlanning is such a key piece Nirmala that too many people don’t take the time to do. It all takes time, but it’s so worth it when you do it right from the get-go!
Ashish Ajani says
September 10, 2014 at 11:10 pmGreat stuff again Rebekah, I am completely agree with #4 and #5 points you mentioned. It is always important in social media marketing to choose the right platforms and site.
For example if you are having business related to Clothing and Apparel then FB is best option for attracting customer and brand development but LinkedIn in bad idea comparatively, and if you are looking for resources for your business then LinkedIn is best against FB.
Also the great presentation about your ideas and business is very important. Thank you very much for sharing nice article.
Rebekah Radice says
September 11, 2014 at 7:43 pmHi Ashish! It’s so important to identify where your time is best spent. Otherwise, you can quickly find yourself burned out from all of the content you’re creating.
Caryl Anne says
September 10, 2014 at 8:13 amWhat a great and helpful post! The first step is right on point since this tends to help lay out the foundation and steer the company in the right direction. In my opinion, a company won’t get far without this crucial step! Thanks for sharing!
Rebekah Radice says
September 11, 2014 at 7:46 pmSo glad to hear it’s helpful Caryl Anne! I completely agree. Companies must know why they’re using social before they can actually use it effectively.
YvonneA Jones says
September 9, 2014 at 6:16 amI appreciate #9 especially, because this is something I stress when I work with small business owners and entrepreneurs. You must have a system of tracking so you know if you\\\’re meeting your goals and monitor what\\\’s being said about you. Even in a business of one, it\\\’s important to monitor online reputation. Love the entire post. All great tactics! Thank you.
Rebekah Radice says
September 11, 2014 at 7:48 pmThat’s one of the toughest parts about social media for small businesses Yvonne. Tracking and measuring the effectiveness of your efforts can feel totally overwhelming. Great thing to stress as incredibly important to your clients!
Neil Ferree says
September 8, 2014 at 10:31 amAnother great set of SMM tips for all of us SMB’s trying to keep our head above water and not spend endless hours in the course of doing so.
Some of the new developments on social listening are making this process more efficient. I can’t wait to read your take on how SMB’s can implement the new Twitter Buy Button into our SMM strategy?
Rebekah Radice says
September 11, 2014 at 7:49 pmI’m not sure how you do it all Neil! You strike me as a very detailed and structured person, so I’m sure your day and activities are mapped out.
I’m really excited about the Twitter Buy Button – big possibilities!
Reginald says
September 8, 2014 at 8:13 amRebekah,
I think you nailed it. When it comes to social media, choosing the right channel is important. I used to try ‘get involved’ in nearly all platforms and that was crazy.
Don’t even mention about the ROI.
Now, I’m focusing on more specific platforms and that works like charm.
Thanks for sharing and definitely deserve a share (or more)!
Rebekah Radice says
September 11, 2014 at 7:51 pmI think we all made that same mistake initially Reginald. It’s the “gotta be everywhere and everything to everyone” syndrome.
You’re dong an awesome job. Keep up the great work!