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5 Social Marketing Strategies For Small Businesses

Social Media Marketing For Your Business

Marketing has greatly evolved over the years. Businesses used to rely on door-to-door marketing to find customers. Then, print, radio, and TV advertising came into play. The new game in town is social media marketing, and it seems like it's here to stay.

Over 60% of adults worldwide utilize social media in some form. Over a billion people use Facebook each month. Twitter draws 500,000 users each month. Therefore, every business entity might want to consider taking advantage of social media marketing. If you're one of them, follow these social marketing strategies!

1Define Your Goals And Target Customers

Goals are always important because they make you think about where you are and where you eventually want to be. What are your goals? Are you trying to drive more customers to your website? Do you want to boost the presence of your brand? Are you trying to share coupons and special offers?

Also, do you want to communicate more with your customers? Are you trying to market and sell products directly? Once you set some specific, measurable goals, decide on how you want to prioritize them. The most important goal comes first! Remember to set deadlines for each goal.

Moreover, you should know your audience. Your marketing will be different if your typical customer is a 23-year-old single male than it would be for a 35-year-old mother. Remember to use a platform that's suitable for your target demographic. For example, Facebook is popular with women and young adults. Men over 30 are not an active group on Facebook.

2Know The Different Media Platforms

Learn about the available platforms and become an expert. Figure out which platforms will reach the audience that you are seeking. Choose wisely to maximize the use of your time and money.

Consider Facebook. As mentioned, Facebook is big with women and young adults; plus, a Facebook profile is free and easy to set up. However, the ad space on Facebook can be expensive. You may also want to try LinkedIn; you'll mostly find business professionals and entrepreneurs there. Again, it's free to join, so this is a great place to do some networking.

You could also explore Twitter; although targeted initially at everyone, Twitter tends to draw celebrities or those with a big following. Nonetheless, the audience is expanding. Twitter users are mostly educated, young adults, and there are slightly more female users than males. Other than these platforms, you can consider everything else. The point is to become aware of the many platforms and the groups who use them; do some research!

3Get Your Content Figured Out

Develop a plan for your content. Figure out the type of content you'll use and how frequently you'll post it; ask yourself the following questions. What type of content will you post? What format will you use to share your content? Will you be using written posts, videos, or audio files?

Determine the frequency. Then, be reliable and consistent. Provided that the information is relevant to your customers, the more frequently you post content, the better. Set a schedule and stick to it. Random posting can make you look unprofessional.

4Create Your Actual Presence

After choosing your platforms and creating your content plan, it's time to get busy building your online presence. Only create profiles that you will use. Maximize your time by only choosing platforms where you'll regularly add content.

Create a full, complete profile on each platform, take the time to make your company look professional, and remember to include links to your website! Get out there; follow and connect with others. Avoid setting up accounts and then forgetting about them. Participate in the online communities; if you want people to follow you, follow them first. Be reactive - if someone makes a comment or asks a question, respond!

5Maintain, Maintain, Maintain

It's important to stay on top of social media. Spend a few minutes to log in on your accounts each day. This is a great idea.

Follow a few new people. You can also make a post on someone else's profile each day. Furthermore, ensure that your content is posted according to schedule.

It's essential to be consistent. Followers cast dead profiles aside. Give them meaningful content regularly. Use social media to your advantage and watch your business grow.



About Author

John Quintana

John Quintana is a proud Cuban, a lifelong resident of Miami, Florida, where he lives surrounded by a loving family. When he's not writing, he spends his time either fishing or in the kitchen.