Do you have a strategy for social media? It turns out, many businesses do not. Recent research found that 1 in 4 small businesses do not use social media. Social media can be integrated into your business’s daily operations to help build your brand, increase your customer base and boost sales. Your business could be missing out on opportunities for growth if you don’t have a social strategy. To get started, you only need to know the best social media tips for small business.
Social media marketing is important. Let’s look at some statistics and facts about social media. According to data from Status Brew, around 80 percent of US internet users log in to Facebook on a regular basis. Over 90 percent of Pinterest users say that they have or plan to make purchases through social media. Many web users confirm that they research a company’s online presence before buying their products or services.
You might already be in the lead if you are using social media for your business, but a solid social strategy will reap huge rewards. Consider funding your social media marketing efforts if you decide to invest financially. Working capital can help you reach the next stage of growth.
Choose Your Networks
In order to create a successful social media strategy, it is essential to first determine which social networks are most frequently used by your customers. Determining your target audience and figuring out the best way to engage them is an important part of any marketing campaign. This information is often difficult to determine.
Ask them. Ask your customers how they discovered your business. Find out which social networks your customers are using on a regular base. A simple way to accomplish this is by creating a short survey. You can include the survey in email, newsletters or other communications with customers.
Check out the social media platforms that your competitors are using. Facebook is the most popular social network and also one of the most visited websites on the internet. Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest, which are all popular with millions of users daily, are also very popular. They are also useful for businesses, as they can showcase and update videos and photos of their products and services. While networks such as Twitter or LinkedIn help you reach more specific audiences with updates about your business, they can also be used to target a wider audience.
Remember that many social networks let businesses create and run paid advertising campaigns. Paid advertising can help you get your business in the front of a highly targeted audience. Focusing on a specific audience can help increase engagement and sales. These campaigns are expensive, but you can get them started with marketing loans for businesses.
Test and Retest
Different businesses have different techniques to maximize the benefits of social media and grow an online presence. The general strategy is the same across the board.
* Monitor the effectiveness of your social media marketing campaigns.
* Analyze the results.
* Adjust the strategy as necessary to improve it.
It’s not always easy to know how to test and track social media strategies. Many social networks offer special tools for business users to analyze their network’s performance, schedule posts and perform administrative tasks. Connecting the dots between different accounts can be time-consuming and expensive.
Many small businesses are finding that they can maximize their marketing potential by using web applications for social media management. They may even hire a contractor to design and analyze social media campaigns on behalf of their business. To make these social media dreams a reality, small businesses need targeted funding.
QuickBridge offers short-term financing for businesses, so you can get the funds needed to implement the social media tips above without having to redistribute cash. Contact us today to find out how QuickBridge can help small businesses boost their social media marketing.
