5 Ways to Effectively Use Social Media for Your Business
Ezra Cabrera | May 15, 2019
With over 2.77 billion people active on social media daily, business owners are starting to realize that social media marketing is no longer optional. Whether you like it or not, social media is here to stay and business owners should use it to their advantage. If you don’t know where to start, you can hire a reputable marketing agency with the help of Virginia Beach business loans. To help you get started, here are five ways on how to use social media for business.
1. Plan and Strategize
The first step you need to take in using social media for your business is to plan and strategize. Most business owners create a content marketing calendar that helps them plan and post content. When planning your content, be sure to consider the following factors:
- Identify your target market
- List possible topics that attracts and is of interest to your target market
- List the social media platforms you can use
- Decide on the kind of content that will generate the greatest amount of interest (info-graphics, blog posts, videos, etc.)
- Re-post existing content that is in line with your content calendar and overall marketing plans
2. Post Your Content with a Consistent Voice
Brand building and recognition are essentially one and the same. They both are also one of the main benefits of using social media for your business. For this reason, the content you post should align with your brand and image you want to convey in order to avoid confusion. It’s best to limit the number of people assigned to post on your social media pages, and you will want to be certain they’re aware of your voice and the brand image you want to convey to consumers.
3. Use the Right Tools to Schedule and Automate Posts
It’s no doubt that manually posting on various platforms takes time and dedication. Fortunately, there are tools you can use to automate the process, such as Buffer, BuzzSumo, and Hootsuite. By utilizing these tools, you can save valuable time and schedule your postings far in advance. It also makes it easier for you to monitor your posts and respond to comments or messages.
4. Re-purpose Content
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not necessary to create brand new content all of the time. In practice on how to use social media for business, you can use your existing content on a semi-regular basis. To re-purpose content, try experimenting with shareable info-graphics throughout your posts which will let your audience share it on different platforms. You may also want to use Instagram Stories to promote your posts or create a one to three-minute Facebook or YouTube video that further promotes your content.
5. Be Consistent
Establishing a strong social media presence probably won’t happen overnight. It generally takes time, patience, and consistency before you see the results of your labors. The key on how to use social media for business is to maintain a constant presence by being active on social media channels. Your posting frequency will depend on the platform you’re using and the audience you are targeting.
For instance:
- Facebook and LinkedIn: Post at least once a day but never go more than five posts a week.
- Pinterest: Pin around 11 pins per day.
- Twitter: Post as often as you wish.
6. Build Meaningful Relationships
Social media is one of the best ways to build relationships with your target market. Since you can directly talk to your customers and followers, you can ultimately build relationships instead of asking for a sale upfront.
Consumers are more informed than ever. In fact, 40% of digital consumers browse social media to research new brands and products. They also use this opportunity to get to know your brand. When your customers engage with your content, it’s important to engage back. This helps build trust and credibility, as well as a loyal customer base.
7. Quality > Quantity
Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. With all these options, which would be a great place to start? Small business owners often try to do everything at once. But it’s important to know that you don’t have to do it all. You’d want to create quality content on key social media platforms rather than have an account on every network.
Your content should offer value; don’t flood your page with ads. Would you follow a brand that does nothing but pitch and sell? Social media marketing revolves around building lasting and meaningful relationships. Create social media accounts on platforms where potential customers spend most of their time. In using social media for your business, start by focusing on one or two social media platforms before you expand your efforts.
Virginia Beach Business Loans – Small Business Loans for You
Hiring a social media marketing team can be costly. Fortunately, a small business loan can provide you with the funds you need to promote and grow your business offline and online.
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