Social media is everywhere. You walk down the street and notice folks are all heads down on their mobile phones, tweeting out the latest trend, posting a photo on Facebook of their whereabouts, or Instagramming a selfie. Social media is more active than ever with over 12 million Americans using social networking many times daily - yes, you heard right, daily! How can your business capitalize on this huge opportunity? Start increasing sales and brand awareness with our top social media tips for small business owners.
Line up good content
Set up an editorial calendar and line up good content. The worst thing you can do is start a social media presence and make it a ghost town. These days, there are free social media tools, such as Hootsuite, to help you schedule social media messages in advance and manage an editorial calendar. Make sure you have fun content lined up daily on social media; everything from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, G+, LinkedIn, and more. Have a constant flow of posts showcasing giveaways, coupons, news, and offerings.
Be visual and fun
Did you know that colored visuals increase people's willingness to read a piece of content by 80% and content with relevant images get 94% more views than content without relevant images? We live in a visual world filled with readers who have a short attention span. Keep your posts visual by attaching photos or videos to messages. Followers want to see your shop’s cool new item, not read about it. Also, take this opportunity to have some fun with your content so that it’s shareable and exciting! Be festive and find creative ways to make your photo special.
Jump into conversations
The biggest perk of social media for any business is being able to address complainers and praisers. Use social media to talk to your customers and hear their feedback. Address any comments and respond to followers who compliment your business - show them your love and make them feel special. Social media is all about keeping the conversation going so jump into the social universe by using hashtags and tweeting in real-time during fun happenings. Even start your own conversations on social media by creating a unique hashtag just for your business.
Run social ads
Social media isn’t all about organic reach anymore. Businesses have the option to leverage paid search activities and sponsor ads. Major social media players such as Facebook and Twitter offer users the opportunity to host ads on their social media platforms. And the best part is you’re able to target the audience you want to reach. For example, if you are a retailer for women’s clothing, you can target your Facebook ad to show up on the feeds of users that are female, aged 18-35, and specifically like shopping. This sort of social ad targeting can be worth the investment to get more sales and customers through your doors.
So what are you waiting for? Get your mobile phones ready and start tweeting away! Everyone on social media awaits your business.
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