Ten years ago, promoting your small business on social media was a fairly new practice.
So whats the key?
7 Proven Social Media Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses
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Some of her top tips include:
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But one size doesnt fit all.
The social channels that work for one small business might not work for yours.
And different audiences may prefer different content.
Put yourself in your audiences shoes, Masud says.
Identify factors like their age, income, gender, where they live and general interests.
Then go to the social media platforms that cater most closely to that demographic.
So if your target audience is women between the ages of 25 to 34 .
you may want to consider spending more resources on Pinterest and Instagram.
That said, whos using each platform?
Heres some nuggets from a2021 Pew Research Survey:
Did you know?
Masud also says to also think about the social platforms youre naturally drawn to.
If youre doing this yourself, you want to enjoy spending time on that platform, she adds.
Some platforms are definitely going to require more posting and content curation than others, she says.
Some other social media tips for small businesses Masud offers:
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Make a Content Strategy
One of the essentials in effective social media marketing is having a content strategy.
That starts with identifying content pillars to determine the focus you want to have on any given platform.
Think of it this way.
Lets say you own a local juice store, Masud says.
Your pillars or content buckets could be menu item spotlights and weekly deals.
Thats your product promo pillar.
You could spotlight local events and customer shoutouts.
Thats a community pillar.
Then you could use high-quality photos and videos of ingredient shots for foodies and lifestylers.
Thats your entertainment pillar.
Masud says to start by choosing at least two pillars and nailing them down before taking on more.
Set up a social media calendar to remind yourself to post on a schedule.
I like to get in front of my followers in one way or another.
Even if you cant post every day, its still a good idea to get into a regular rhythm.
All social media algorithms have one thing in common, Masud says.
They favor consistency and pattern.
Masud also suggests creating a content library of evergreen posts.
Examples of these may include seasonal quotes or product imagery.
Be Yourself
Authenticity on social media is incredibly important.
For Fryer, that means allowing her audience into the sometimes chaotic nature of being a small business owner.
It became a thing.
People would come to the store and want to know when the little artist would make his next picture.
Fryer says it gave her customers a glimpse into her life at that time.
Masud says that these types of posts build brand awareness and loyalty.
Its just likability, she says.
When you bring your personality in, that just creates really great brand content.
Entertain and Inform (But Mostly Entertain)
Information certainly has its place in social media strategy.
But the posts that boost engagement have a high entertainment element with a little information peppered in.
Use the mundane to your advantage, Masud says.
You always should have content that either entertains or emotionally resonates.
You have the opportunity to show someone your day-to-day life and your day-to-day struggles.
Big corporations have to work really hard to create brand personas, she says.
For small business owners, its an advantage to be able to naturally show your authenticity.
TikTok has shown itself as a great vehicle for doing just that.
Fryers dog, Chester, has become quite the social media star.
I was making a snack one morning for the dogs when I got into the shop, Fryer says.
I quickly made a video and posted it, and the response was super.
A few stats:
The biggest myth about videos on social media?
Theres a misconception that it takes a lot of resources to create a video, Masud says.
Thats just not true.
It actually has a really low barrier to entry because most phones are perfect tools for a short-form video.
And if you look at the ideal aspect ratio that TikTok favors, its all a selfie oriented video.
So its something that you’ve got the option to pop up and do wherever you are.
Videos always get the most attention for me, Fryer says.
During Christmas, she had a doggy advent calendar that she posted about daily.
Each day there was a different treat for Chester to review.
They would end up asking about other products at the store.
That became a nice way to start the conversation.
But what if you simply arent comfortable on camera?
Choose a different video format, Masud says.
You could create high-quality photos and videos of ingredients.
Voiceovers are another option.
Voiceovers are a great way to personify your video content without being in it, Masud says.
All the social media responsibilities dont have to fall on you.
Robert Bruce is a senior writer for The Penny Hoarder.
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