People all over the country are starting their own businesses. From personal crafts turned into a full-time gig or becoming a coach to help others in their field, more businesses have started in the last year than we’ve seen in a long time.
There’s a lot to navigate before you officially launch your business and make it public. Social media is a necessity and will be one of the items on your small business list you’ll want to bring to the top.
If you’re new to social media, don’t worry. It doesn’t require days or weeks of creating content, engaging, and sharing on multiple different platforms. Here are six social media marketing tips to get you started.
Choose Your Platforms Based on Your Audience
You don’t have to be on every single social media channel. If your target audience or ideal client doesn’t scroll through Twitter, there is no sense in wasting your time there. Focus on the platforms where you want to engage with current and potential new customers. Stick to a maximum of three, as to not spread yourself too thin.
Plan Ahead
Many people think planning out your social media content takes up too much time. The truth is, it only takes an hour at most when planning your content. Create a calendar for the month. You can create one manually through a spreadsheet or you can use a third-party platform like Planoly which also provides scheduling and automation. Some services you’ll have to pay for, but many companies or apps provide free options for your business.
Brainstorm Your Content
Now it’s time to get creative. This is one of the parts that people find most daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. There are two main factors as a business for promoting on social media. Your content needs to be educational and entertaining.
For example, if you’re a property management company in Texas, you already have your niche. Think about frequently asked questions from your current clients. Throughout the week, answer those types of questions in your content. To get you started, here are five categories to use for Monday through Friday.
- Personal Insight
- Behind the Scenes
- Showcase Your Product or Service
- Benefits
- Encouragement
Each of these categories can be used when answering the questions your potential new customer is looking to have answered. In the example of the property management company, you could be providing a Reel on Instagram that shows five benefits of hiring a property management company. Or you can post a photo on Facebook that shows your team hard at work for their customers as a behind-the-scenes post.
It’s Okay to Reuse Content
Here’s a tip for you: It’s perfectly acceptable to reuse your old content as new content on social media. There is no sense in creating new posts every single month. See what worked previously. Your audience won’t remember something you posted one or two months ago. If your audience has grown, which hopefully it has, your new followers may not have yet seen it.
Be Consistent
The most important thing you can do for your social media marketing plan is to be consistent. This includes consistency with how often you post, the types of content you are sharing, and the aesthetics to match your brand. This is why planning ahead is crucial with any marketing strategy for a small business.
Have Fun With It
Social media is about engaging and connecting with your community. If you aren’t having fun with it, the task is going to feel like it’s far too much work. Eventually, you’ll get burnt out. Besides, the more fun you’re having with it, the more your clients will engage with your content. Engagement is huge for any social media algorithm to get your content shown to more people.
Whether you’re just starting your business or you’ve been running it for years, having a social media marketing strategy can take your company far beyond the reach of your local community. Start making a plan, and if you need extra assistance, don’t be afraid to ask for help.