When I tell people what I do, the first question they ask is “Should I have my business on social media?” followed by “Do you think I should be on [insert social media platform here]?”
These are both reasonable questions. There is so much information out there about every platform, but as a busy entrepreneur, you don’t have time to research each one.
That’s where I come in!
The short answers are yes, your business should have a presence on social media. There are a bunch of reasons why you should:
– provides a direct line of communication to talk to potential and current customers
– instant access to customer feedback and reviews
– brings traffic back to your website
– introduces your brand to new audiences
– enables you to learn more about your customers
– helps your business show up in search
However, it is not necessary to sign up for them all, just the few that apply to your industry and your audience.
In my work, I determine where your customers are on social media and what platforms makes sense for your audience and your industry.
I’ll go through the major platforms here:
As of July 2016, there were 1.71 billion monthly users on Facebook with 1.083 billion daily users. The numbers alone make it hard to not have a business page on Facebook. Facebook allows you to gather key data about your audience and with Facebook Ads, you can specifically market to your target audience based on demographics, interests and behaviors.
On the flip side, if you’re selling a product to a specialized audience or a highly regulated industry, this is probably not the place for you (ie pharmaceuticals).
The big advantage of being on Twitter is the ability to monitor in real time, what people are saying about your product or service. Twitter is also a great way to directly interact with your customers and respond to questions or complaints. Consumers expect businesses to be accessible 24/7. Keep your customers happy, make sure you or someone you hire is “listening”. Make sure you have a clear picture of who you want to follow—perhaps an industry or profession—and then follow those Twitter users.
LinkedIn is a great option for businesses that are seeking other businesses as clients. Financial services, insurance, law and real estate professionals are the industries that come to mind as benefiting most from LinkedIn. Join relevant LinkedIn Groups to connect with partners and potential clients. Being active in these groups is key in establishing you and your business as an expert in your field. If you are not in a B2B industry, LinkedIn becomes less vital.
Google+
Google. rules. the. internet. Small businesses can easily set themselves apart from others just by adding Google+ to their social media. It increases search engine results, driving traffic to your website. It sounds simple and it can be. Posts for can be crafted with keywords on a Google+ update and it’s the keyword usage that increases search results with your business closer to the top of the search list.
Over fifty percent of 18- to 29-year-olds use Instagram. So if this age group represents your target market, you may want to consider adding an Instagram strategy early in your social media marketing plans.
Pinterest works best for a certain type of business. If your business involves food, travel, DIY crafts, health, beauty or fashion, this is one to consider. Otherwise, you can eliminate this platform from your early social media plans.
Conclusion
Choosing social media that fits your small business can be overwhelming. Each platform has its own purpose and audience. It is important to understand these subtle differences to optimize your small business social media presence.
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This is so useful! I’m still learning where the best place is to reach my ideal clients and this is super helpful!