Small Business Smarts: 7 Social Media Marketing Tips

Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest…There’s no shortage of social media outlets that you can use to market your business. The trick is knowing how to use them effectively. Here are some tips for getting the most out of social media marketing:

1. Prevalent Platforms. As we said, you have a lot of choices when it comes to social media. The trick is to choose one to two platforms that are suitable to reach your target demographic, keeping in mind that not every platform is appropriate for your business and objectives. What platform are your customers using? How are they using those platforms to purchase products, make donations or find services?
2. Consistent Aesthetic. Make sure your website and social media platforms’ aesthetic is consistent with your brand personality and the visual elements you choose to represent your company–that includes fonts, colors, imagery, logo, etc.
3. Quality over Quantity. Don’t overwhelm your followers with multiple daily posts. Focus on the quality of what you post, not the quantity. Remember that it’s better to get 100 shares on one post than one share on a 100 posts.
4. Engage. Social media is less about outright selling and more about engaging your audience. Keep your social media presence 80% informational, 20% promotional. Create quality posts that encourage sharing and dialogue and engage with your audience.
5. Hashtags. Use relevant hashtags to tap into existing conversations. This means keeping abreast of what hashtags are trending on any given day.
6. Analytics. Track metrics and identify which posts receive higher engagement or link clicks so you can plan future posts accordingly.
7. Fan Power. Far too many businesses underestimate the power of quality fans. It’s important to recognize that fan power is what keeps businesses going.

• Quality Fans = Quality Interactions Numbers are useless if nobody is interested in your product or business. Connect with people that will take interest in your message and start a relevant conversation.
• Quality Fans = Less Spam Spammers find the pages with thousands of fans so they can post junk and ads to your page. A “niche” following keeps spammers away.
• Quality Fans = Loyal Audience Establishing credibility from the start is key. People will recognize your business and will spread the message to their friends.

Social media presents a huge opportunity for small businesses to market their products and services at little to no cost. Use it wisely, and you can build a faithful, engaged customer base.

Want to jumpstart your business’ PR and marketing? Call On The Marc Media at 301-545-0108 to power your brand.

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