A successful local business is one that nurtures relationships with its clients and one that people talk about. Can you think of a better online place for that than social media? It’s where you can engage, share, and get the conversation about your business going. At the same time, social media feels like a struggle for many small business owners. Something you have to do, but don’t really know how. Don’t fret, here are some essential social media tips to boost your local marketing.
First, we’ll help you figure out which platforms would suit your business best. Then, we’ll give you our top 4 tips on how to use social media to get a headstart on your local competitors!
Which platforms should you use?
Many local businesses already struggle with the first and most obvious question: which platform should I use? There are so many out there, should I have a profile on all of them? If there’s a new one, should I jump on the bandwagon right away? Well, we advise thinking that through a bit. It’s much better to have one or two very active profiles than ten silent ones. Okay, so one or two, that doesn’t sound like much. But, which ones should you choose?
Consider what your customers use
Don’t just go by instinct on this one. Just because Facebook is the most popular platform, doesn’t mean it’s the right one for your target group. The best thing you can do is research what platforms your customers use. You can do that by sending a small survey via email or asking them in person when they visit your shop. Either way, it’s worth putting in the effort and finding out which platform will give you the best chance to reach your clients. If you have no clue of the whereabouts of your audience, get to know them a bit better!
Find a platform that matches your business needs
Think about what platform is the best match for your business. Can you showcase your products or services with fun and engaging visuals? And, what kind of an approach will you have – do you want to be more formal or casual? For example, if you are a lawyer, it won’t make much sense to be on Instagram or Snapchat and post funny pictures or videos. You’ll need a more professional approach, where you will be able to show your expertise. So, in that case, LinkedIn could be a more appropriate platform.
Think about these things and be strategic about it. It’s better to go into it prepared than to rush in head-first with no plan.
Social media tips for small business
There are many things to keep in mind when you’re thinking about social media as a small business owner. But these tips will help you keep focused and motivated:
1. Give it time (now and later)
It will take time, perseverance, and a strategy to get things going on social media as a local business. Perhaps now, you are just putting your extra time into social media. Whereas investing actual, accountable time in social media will probably pay off way more. So, do reserve some serious time for it. If it’s an afterthought, it will never take off.
Also, keep your expectations in check: your social following won’t grow overnight. Don’t expect people to follow you right after creating a profile. You need to invest that time we talked about. And creating a profile isn’t investing time, that will be done in a few minutes. The actual time investment starts right after that. What comes after setting up your profile? Well, for instance:
2. Create relevant content for your (local) audience
You need to make sure your messages/mentions/promotions/articles are worth sharing. In other words, your content has to be relevant and worthwhile. This need for relevance can hold back certain businesses from using social media. People often say:
“But I have nothing worth sharing.”
That’s nonsense. If you are good at what you do, you’ll have (local) projects, testimonials, pictures, and quotes worth sharing. No need to write new blog posts every day, simply find something you’re proud of and share it online.
3. Post regularly
What’s also important is being active and posting regularly on your social media profiles. So, what exactly should you post there? Well, each platform is unique. For example, Facebook offers many possibilities to share content in various formats like photos, videos, or post links to your site. Conveniently, people there can easily share your content and help you grow your follower base.
Some platforms, like Twitter, are excellent for engagement. You can easily spot when someone is mentioning you on Twitter and jump into the conversion. If you decide to go on Twitter, put effort into engaging with your audience by replying to comments, retweeting, reposting, and joining in conversations with hashtags or replies.
What if you mostly want to post photos and videos? You can do that too! Use Instagram, Snapchat, or YouTube. If you need a more formal approach, LinkedIn can be a great way to join various groups related to your business and participate in conversations.
4. Add the correct NAP details
Social media profiles are great for another reason that also helps your local customers. They allow you to add essential information like your name, address, a phone number (NAP details), and a link to your website. You should keep this information consistent across all platforms. This way you will make it easier for search engines and your customers to find you.
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Source: yoast
