During the last few years social media networks brought about a dramatic change in how small-sized enterprises operate. Of course one can argue whether we should be grateful or sorry, but that’s another story. Usually, a small business would resort to posting notices in supermarkets, placing classified ads in local papers, and of course the good old grapevine.
But now we live in the so-called digital age, and everything has changed. It has been an out-and-out revolution in how we interact, discover places, buy products. Facebook, Instagram or new digital services like Groupon or Tripadvisor can be compared to a sort of virtual meeting place where anyone can provide opinions and information, share it with others, look for something, make a choice or a discovery. What are the repercussions for small enterprises? How can you make yourself heard by a large audience—on a limited budget?
Contrary to what some appear to believe, tackling social media may turn out to be something of a sticky wicket. Posting a few shots or jotting down a short text is hardly enough: only a well-thought-out and well-executed strategy serve will allow you to stand out amidst the digital noise.
This is the real challenge: understanding the needs of your audience, finding how to elicit a positive response using engaging and genuine content—all without forgoing your unique voice or fading into a faceless brand. The secret behind it is to preserve a humane dimension, remembering you are dealing with real people, individuals.
Nevertheless, it is equally as important to keep up with the times, testing new formats and paying attention to they way people respond. Devoting time to this kind of analysis may sound boring, but that is exactly how you can understand what is working and what is not.
5 social media marketing strategies worth adopting
The number of possible marketing strategies one may adopt is obviously limitless, so we shall confine ourselves to these five. Never, ever disregard them!
1) Know your customers
A hard-and-fast rule in social media marketing is certainly ‘know your customers’; for example, which platforms they use, which sort of content they usually like and so on. This is why defining personas—profiles based on an individual’s social façade—helps focus your efforts on those who are most likely to be interested in the products and services your company provides.
2) On social networks, content is king.
Compelling, riveting, and also educative content can attract the attention of many people and foster further interaction. Storytelling, too, can lead to an understanding with your audience, increasing the pulling power of your brand.
3) Remember that visual content is much more captivating than texts. Short video clips, animated GIFs and high-quality imagery can substantially enhance the visibility of your posts and the engagement of your visitors.
4) Invest in advertising
Investing in advertising is undoubtedly the most effective way to increase one’s visibility on social networks. Social media networking services like Facebook and Instagram offer elaborate targeting options designed to help you reach specific public segments at a moderate price.
5) Always track they way your posts are performing
Make sure you are using suitable analytics to assess the effectiveness of posts and advertising campaigns alike. This isn’t just useful or important: it is absolutely necessary, as they will provide highly valuable insights on the way your audience behaves. You shall then be able to make adjustments to optimize your strategy.
Social media marketing—an opportunity for small enterprises
Within the framework of a market which may certainly be described as exceedingly competitive, social media marketing can become an opportunity for small-sized enterprises to grow and thrive. The proper implementation of such strategies can enable them to improve their visibility, captivate the general public to a significant extent, and establish long-lasting customer loyalty relationships. However, let us not forget that gaining acceptance and recognition on social networks isn’t something that can be achieved overnight: you will need patience, tenacity and a relentless commitment to keep learning and fine-tuning every aspect.
Then do consider the option of calling in someone with the relevant expertise, like us. We can devise a custom strategy, perfectly matching your requirements and the goals of your company—and then start laying the foundations of a future thriving presence on social networks. Who knows, maybe in the fullness of time your very own small business will become yet another success story…the talk of the town!