It’s no secret that social media has changed the world. The way we feel, the friendships we develop, and even the purchases we make are all influenced by what we see online. 

Whether you scroll Facebook hourly or only hit Twitter to see the latest gossip, you have to admit that our lives are intertwined with the digital world. So, why is it that many small business owners use social media in their personal lives but have yet to venture into digital marketing for their businesses?

Social media marketing is a crucial factor for businesses and should be included in every strategic plan. There is no easier or more effective way to reach a large audience than through online platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. 

I have a few theories about why small business owners keep their businesses offline: 

1. They are happy with current revenue and don’t want to increase sales
2. They think online success only happens if you go viral
3. They have a difficult time producing meaningful content
4. They don’t know where to start

Regardless of your reason, you landed on this article with intention. You’re either thinking of dipping a toe into social media marketing or wanting to jump in completely, but need a little encouragement.  Let’s ease your fears and help you develop an online presence that you, your team, and your customers will be proud of. 

Why are socials important for businesses?

Before we dive into the ‘how’, it’s important to think about the ‘why’. 

Why is social media marketing important to your business?

Nearly 4 BILLION people are on social media worldwide. Social media is the single most effective way to reach people around the world. Today, you have the ability to share your mission with anyone without leaving home – and you can do it for free!

Social media marketing allows businesses to: 

• Bring their products and services to consumers everywhere
• Increase brand awareness across a larger area
• Listen to what customers want in order to optimize products, services, and content
• Network with previous, current, and potential customers 
• Collaborate with other businesses and individuals 

How should you get started?

Now that you know ‘why’ you need an online presence, let’s figure out ‘how’. 

Influencers make it look easy, like you can go viral while sipping cocktails on the beach. What we don’t see is the planning and strategizing behind each of their posts. No one jumps online and has massive success without a strategic plan. 

Follow these steps to create your strategic marketing plan:

1. Find your story

Your audience won’t invest time into your content unless you have a compelling story to tell. No one would read a book or watch a TV series that doesn’t have a story worth telling, and the same goes for your digital content. Before you begin even thinking about creating social accounts, you should find your story and your mission. 

Your logo, your website, and your social accounts should reflect your story. While your content will be unique to each platform, everything should align and have the same overarching theme. You want your audience to see your mission in everything you share with them. 

Many people have a hard time putting into words how they see themselves and their businesses, but there is no pressure and no wrong answer.

2. Research your competitors

Take a minute to do a quick Google search on your product or service, and you will probably find someone selling something similar. The great news is you can use their social media marketing strategy to help you develop your own. 

You don’t want to be a ‘copy and paste’ of your competition, but you can look at their content to see what works and what doesn’t. Look at which posts get more likes, which get more comments, and which get more shares. This will help you when you are coming up with your own content.  

You can also see how your competition engages with their customers and use that to your advantage. If your competitors offer ambassador programs, this might be something you should consider as well. You might even steal some customers from them by engaging more in the comments. 

3. Pick your platform(s)

It can be daunting looking at Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and whatever new platforms pop up each year. However, take peace in knowing that it is impossible to keep up on every social media platform. You will find that the companies who are able to keep up on all platforms are those with large marketing teams, where each person has a focus on only one or two platforms. 

This should be great news, because you can narrow down your focus and pick the platforms that work best for you. Think about who your target audience is – who do you want to sell your product or service to? Once you know who your ideal consumer is, you can figure out which platforms they are using and spend your time on these. 

You’ll find that platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn are used for professional services, while Instagram and TikTok are used for consumer goods and experiences. Take some time to do your research before joining to develop the proper social media marketing strategy. 

4. Experiment with your content

The beauty of social media is that it can show you what you are doing right and forgive you for things you should improve. When I create content for a new business or client, I experiment to determine the best tone, timing, and type of content I produce.

For my clients offering professional services, I schedule posts on LinkedIn first thing in the morning or right around lunchtime, when more professionals are scrolling. On the other hand, I post about events on Instagram in the afternoon to catch these types of consumers while they are scrolling after school or work. 

Tracking analytics for each post is crucial, especially when you are experimenting with your content. You should be excited to see your post get a lot of likes, and this may lead to a few new followers, but you also need to look at how many of those followers actually engaged with your content. A like won’t sell your product, but engagement will. 

5. Engage with your audience

Communication is about talking and listening. Your posts are you talking to your audience, but they won’t go far if you aren’t listening to them in return. Listen to your audience by engaging with them. If you receive comments and messages, be sure to read them and respond to them. I guarantee that most of your competitors are not doing this!

Utilize polls and ask questions on your socials. You may think a how-to video is best, but your customers may want a Reel about your rockstar team instead. Letting your customers tell you what they want to see will take a lot of pressure off of you. 

The best way to draw in your potential audience is by pointing out what they are missing. Instead of selling a product, offer them a solution to a problem they already face. They are missing something that you have, so focus on this rather than making a sales pitch.

6. Be consistent with your content

Consistent posting and engaging will keep your brand name at the top of everyone’s feed. You don’t need to post every hour, or be glued to your phone waiting for messages, but find your rhythm and stick to it. Social media marketing is all about timing and consistency.

Some businesses find their social media sweet spot is consistently posting Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays. Others may see that one small post every morning at 8am works for them. Use your analytics and your audience feedback to figure out your rhythm, then stick to it. 

If you think consistent posting is difficult, try scheduling so they post automatically at the time you choose. Set aside a certain amount of time to engage with your customers each day or each week. 

Now get out there and build your social network! You have all the tools you need to develop a social strategy and start engaging with your audience. With time, you’ll gain confidence and have no problem creating an excellent content calendar.