Social media has taken everyone by storm the past decade or so, and it’s no surprise that social media users are struggling to keep up with the constant changes. Navigating your way around all the different social media apps can be a challenge in itself– being able to successfully market your business and brand online is a whole other cup of matcha tea.
The first step in understanding social media is to know which platform you want to start with and why. If your business targets men and women aged 45-70 then you might want to start with Facebook. Whereas if your audience is women, in their 20s, you could start with Pinterest or Instagram.
Once you’ve identified which platform to start with, you need to take advantage of a step-by-step tour of that platform’s features. Most will offer this tour once you sign up or start an account, while others just unleash you into the social media realm. As a small business owner or a business owner of any type, social media is one of the most optimal (if not, the most optimal) ways to market your business to potential customers.
If you haven’t already, you need to identify your audience. This is an important part of business strategy and marketing combined. Once you decide who your target audience is, you can create a marketing plan to target that audience. This is done through virtual and physical campaigns, to target a larger group of people, beyond physical boarders.
The next step is speaking to your target audience. By including them in your marketing and content, they’ll be more likely to engage with your content and build a relationship with your brand. This displays a sense of trust and belonging in your business by your target audience. The more you converse and connect with your audience, the more likely they will turn into customers of your business.
Next, you need to evaluate your content and what messages you’re trying to get across. You want to educate and inform your audience, while also spreading the words about your brand and the services and products you are offering. Considering ways you can share knowledge with your audience without offering them free content that they would otherwise pay for is a good starting point. Of course, this can be challenging for people new to social media. So we recommend a few different content ideas:
Share insight into a typical day in your life
Show the benefits of your products or services
Share how your business overrides the competition
Introduce your followers to you and share your credentials, client work and more (get them comfortable with trusting you)
Share industry knowledge about how things operate, the ins and outs of your industry and whether it’s booming/falling and why people need to care
So when do you know when it's time to introduce a new social platform? The best way to get a grasp on the social media timelines. You can start off by analyzing which platforms would be the best to expand your social media presence. This can be done by creating test content for each platform you’re considering and noticing how it compares to your current content creation process and the different types of people that use other platforms. In addition to this, you can also ask your current audience for their opinion. This not only gets helpful insight into what your audience is looking for from you, but it makes them feel as though they’re a part of the process. That you trust them.
On the topic of asking your audience for advice, don’t be afraid to ask them what type of content they want to see from you. This is a great way to connect with your audience while also leaning into your content creation in a more strategic way. By developing content that your audience wants to see, you’ll be able to dive into new types of content, create more meaningful content and increase your engagement across your social platforms.
If you find yourself still struggling with content creation and building relationships on social media, you can turn to a social media manager. Social media managers are able to create content for your business’ social media accounts, boost engagement, drive online traffic and increase your following. Typically, you can find social media managers on Instagram or using job boards online. Most virtual assistants (VA) will offer social media management as a service for their clients, as well as other digital services.
If you’re considering social media management for your business or social media accounts, you can reach out to one of our experts here. We can help create strategic and premium content for your business that aligns with your target audience and your business’ goals. An alternative to this would be considering one of our courses in which we will teach you how to create content for your social media platforms, and dive into your business’ goals.
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