Information for this blog post was obtained from hootsuite.com, fitsmallbusiness.com, and venngage.com
Getting Started
Managing a small business is a tall and tireless task, especially when first starting out. Between handling customers, vendors, human resources, and finances, marketing your business can feel very intimidating. However, with the power of social media, sharing your brand can be a lot easier (and a lot less scary) than you think. In this blog post, I'm going to share with you the most effective ways to start a social media campaign within the scope of your small business.
Establish Your Brand's Presence
Before starting your social media campaign, you should have established your business's brand. Once you have your brand's identity, you will be able to understand what kind of social media content you will put out. Decide what tone your brand will have when it comes time to create said content.
What are Your Goals?
Defining key goals and objectives should be at the forefront of your mind when creating your first social media campaign. It would be foolish to just expect to post with no end goal in mind. Establishing a goal for your campaign will not only make creating content for your socials easier, but it will also shine through in that content, and your viewers will be able to tell that your posts are deliberate and meaningful.
Know Your Audience
This may be the most important part of creating your social media campaign. Simply "winging it" will not work here if you wish to be successful. If you have had your company for some time and are just starting out on social media, this won't be incredibly difficult, as your target market should already be stated in your business plan and in the history of your past sales. Establishing your audience will be able to guide you when creating content, be sure to follow your buyer personas as these will be the most specific way to recognize your viewer. One thing that you must keep in common when creating content is that just because you would like it doesn't mean you should post it. Meaning you may not be a replica of your buyer persona. This can be particularly challenging and takes quite a bit of creativity. Challenge yourself to step inside the mind of your target viewer, trust your research, and stick to the buyer persona!
Choosing the Right Platforms
There are many social media platforms out there, and choosing the right ones is important. I recommend using 3-4 that you know you will be able to post regularly on. Optimizing your content across every platform is the best way to ensure your content gets seen regularly. When using too many platforms, it becomes very difficult to stay on top of your content, especially when you have many other duties to attend to as a small business owner. So, choose a few that you know that you can stay on top of with a good content calendar. Choosing the right platforms also ties in with knowing your target audience. If your primary target market is 45-54-year-old women, TikTok probably isn't your optimal platform of choice.
Creating a Content Schedule/Content Calendar
Small business owners have too many things on their plate and often don't have time to sit down with their phone or computer and just make posts on the fly when they feel it's the best time to do so. In my opinion, planning out your content at least a month in advance is the best practice. You can spend one day every month creating your social media strategy for the next month. This can include creating your graphics and posts, collecting data for a new product you're getting ready to start advertising, a social media random customer giveaway, etc.
Collaborate with Influencers
Influencers are a great way to help grow your presence on social media. Influencers allow for revenue through social media to grow tremendously. Social media users love being told what to do, plain and simple. When an influencer uses your product, people will recognize your brand at a higher rate, and you will see your profits rise. There are some negatives that come with using influencers. However, influencers can sometimes come with baggage like past controversies or opinions that may not reflect those of your target audience. So, when choosing an influencer, be sure to be aware of not only your target audience but their target audience as well. Another downfall of influencers is that sometimes they can be quite expensive.
Make Room for User-Generated Content (UGC)
User-generated content is such an exciting tool in our day in age of marketing and advertising. It allows marketers to get instant feedback from their customers on what they think of their products, content, etc. This can be a great tool for not only receiving feedback but also creating brand awareness throughout social networking platforms. Encouraging your followers and customers to engage in user-generated content allows the customer to be heard by their favorite brands, which can be a real selling point for many possible customers. When encouraging UGC, get creative and maybe create a giveaway for the comment that gets the most likes. UGC allows you, the marketer, the freedom to be creative and build your brand. The most effective part, in my opinion, of UGC is the ability to have your brand posted and shared by your customers for absolutely free.
Conclusion
Marketing on social media can absolutely be intimidating. There are so many brands out there selling so many different products and using so many different platforms. However, when following the few simple steps in this blog, it doesn't seem so daunting. Running your own small business is not for everyone. Many people don't realize the blood, sweat, and tears that go into being the head of every department within your company. Using social media to market your company, however, doesn't have to be something to shy away from but something you can take advantage of.
Resources
Fit Small Business. (n.d.). Social media marketing for small business: Guide + template. Retrieved from fitsmallbusiness.com.
HubSpot. (2023). The ultimate guide to social media marketing campaigns. Retrieved from hubspot.com.
Venngage. (2023). A comprehensive guide to social media marketing for small businesses. Retrieved from venngage.com.
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