Social networks grow like little mushrooms on the Web. Entrepreneurs looking to reach the Internet clientele can quickly feel overwhelmed or discouraged by the multi-head monster of the “social media” offer.
Are you one of those entrepreneurs who are still reluctant to follow suit, not knowing how to do it? If you are already initiated, are you certain to use the right tools and use them effectively?
These tips will guide you in your first steps or help you optimize your social media strategy to make the most of the time invested in these online marketing tools, which, let’s remember, are free.
1. Study the strategies of your colleagues and web development companies in the sector
In addition to knowing your audience, you have to investigate your colleagues, who offer products or services similar to yours. See how they position themselves, what content they publish, how they communicate with their audience, what is their frequency of publication, etc.
Analyzing the actions of other actors in your sector can give you valuable and useful clues to your strategy. There will always be someone who came to that place where you would like to be. These people are a source of inspiration and information of great value.
2. Choose
As a small business, you will probably be able to be active on all existing social media. Aim for the most interesting ones based on your offer and your clientele. If Facebook is the darling (it reaches by far the largest number and remains the most attractive network for older people and beginners), other interesting platforms exist.
Pinterest is a virtual space of discovery by image and therefore an excellent showcase for companies offering a visually appealing product. The perfect tool to show off your new fashion, decor or culinary creations! LinkedIn can be an excellent networking tool especially if you offer services to professionals and companies.
3. Publish content that stands out
Billions of people interact in social networks and are bombarded second to second with information of all kinds, to highlight it is necessary to create original contents that impact.
Whether you do a campaign paying advertising or you bet on content marketing you have to make an effort to get your audience’s attention and for this to happen you must invest time and effort creating your content.
4. Build your network
Above all, take the time to build a network by getting as many contacts as possible. These contacts will allow you to create a lively conversation with customers, professionals, and communicators in your field who will inspire you in turn and share their content as much as they share yours. Variety and increased visibility, you will also be aware of the news!
5. Do not just talk about your products and services
Internet users who follow you will be quickly blasé to read only redundant messages with advertising flavor. Instead, use news, images, videos, and news of interest to connect with your business. Before selling at any price, aim for the three “I’s”: Inspire, Inform, Interact.
6. Listen and collaborate
Be attentive to comments and questions from your subscribers and answer them quickly! Also help with information sharing, news, and relevant external events. You will become a reliable and sought-after reference.
7. Profitability
Since social networks are fun and their volubility is almost infinite, you can easily spend hours and hours in front of their continual babble by losing sight of your goals. Calculate and limit the time spent feeding your networks according to what you think is profitable and reasonable. If you have the means, paid advertising can be prolific once your community is well established. Moreover, Facebook has tested a brand-new feature, a button “I buy” that could allow online transactions without leaving the platform.
8. Give yourself goals and measure them
Reach a certain number of subscribers, collect a record of “likes” or “sharing” of your publications. Free online tools like Majestic SEO or Web CEO will allow you to capture and analyze the activity on each of your social networks. You can measure the impact of social media by conducting a short SEO survey of your new customers.
9. Interact with your community
Work your social networks to achieve interactions. Post content that encourages people to leave a comment or share them. Publish surveys, ask questions so that they respond, do not stop at publishing a photo or a video.
Invite your followers to leave comments or questions and respond as soon as possible. There is nothing worse than asking a question and getting no answer.
Attention, good treatment, and kindness are values that must be present in a professional management of your social networks.
if you want a community loyal to your business you have to create bonds of understanding that result in a long-term relationship. Bet on empathy, be on the side of people, that will always be beneficial for them and for your own business.
Social networks are so qualified because they establish relationships between individuals. People are interested in the human face of your brand. Personalize your business by posting photos, videos of your employees in action, your customers, your events.
10. Be ethical
Warning! Do not manage your company profile in the same way as your personal profile. The familiarity that social networks inspire is not appropriate in business. Watch for spelling mistakes, be polite, diplomatic and positive, avoid criticism and ask permission before sharing photos or videos of people in which they appear.
11. Redirect
Include as many hyperlinks in your posts, encouraging subscribers to navigate not only to your website but to your other social networks that should be complementary.
12. Analyze the metrics
It is essential to measure performance. It is not enough to count the “likes” or the followers. You have to analyze if you work in social networks you convert, look at those numbers that tell you if you are on the right track or you have to vary the strategy.
It is important to keep track of how many sales you made, how many budgets you asked for or how many subscribers were listed on your mailing list. Professional management of social networks is impossible without a measurement of the actions carried out.
Losing strategy: Do not take advantage of the possibilities offered by social networks for your business.
Winning strategy: Make a professional management, with quality content aimed at a very specific audience and measure the work to apply continuous improvements in order to attract customers and grow your business.
