Social Media Best Practice Tips for Small Businesses
As a small business owner, you know that there is a lot of value in having a good social media strategy. However, having the time to make it an important part of your marketing plan can seem impossible. The key to making social networks play an important role in your business, without overtaking it completely, is to have a solid plan in place.
There are several best practice tips that can help you keep your sanity when it comes to the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, et al. When you and your team create a marketing plan that fits your needs, and stick with it, you will be able to see results that matter without distracting your attention from the other areas that need your focus.
Know what channels you need
Not every social network is the right one for your business. You might not need to be tuned into Twitter if the majority of your patrons have never even heard of it.
You might have a target audience that spends most of their day on Facebook. Or maybe your customers like to scroll through Pinterest all morning.
Know where your audience is and that is where you can focus your attention. You cut out a lot of wasted time and get to spend quality time reaching out to your audience on channels where they are likely to notice.
Remember: you don’t have to be everywhere, just where it matters!
Set your schedule
Unless you are handling a lot of customer service issues via social channels, there is no reason why you need to be glued to your computer. Set up a block of time that is solely for your social marketing.
You might want to set up a time during the day when you check for any new comments or questions from your followers so that you can reply back as quickly as possible.
Do a little research to see what time of day your audience is the most active. It will do you no good to post on your Facebook page at 9 AM if your followers are only on after 5 PM.
Set your tone
Before you start posting, know exactly how you want to come across to your audience. The tone you use should be a direct reflection of your brand.
So, if you are lighthearted and fun, make sure that comes across in your posts. Talk to your followers online just as you would in person.
Expand your audience
Being able to grow is an important part of success. Social media gives you a place to reach out to more people and grow your business. After you have established a good following, do things each week that will help to expand your audience.
Set up competitions, special offers, giveaways, and contests that will make your fans happy and eager to share with others. The more they share, the larger your following grows.
Get your team involved
If you have a few people working with you, let everyone take part in the social marketing plan. Establish your ground rules and make sure everyone understands them. Maybe set up each person to be responsible for posting on a certain day. Encourage them to have fun and interact with your followers.
Social media is an important part of growing your business and connecting with your customer. Set up a plan that works best for your company to make the most of it each day.
How do you fit social media into your marketing plan?
