Social media is now an integral part of any business, particularly from a marketing perspective. If you’re a small team then the efforts to maximise your potential with social media must be smart and effective, so they don’t cost you time or money - otherwise it may be difficult to maintain long-term.
The pressure to put in as much work as possible to increase your social media presence and engagement can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be that way! There are some key ways that you can spend less time doing and still achieve the same results.
Do you want to get started? Follow these five steps and you should be well on your way to reaching your potential no matter how small a business you are.
If you are realistic with your expectations, you’ll have a better chance of fulfilling your potential. Rather than signing up to every social media channel there is, do a bit of research into all the possible options and then sign up to the ones that you feel will work to your company’s advantage.
While creative companies work extremely well on Instagram, marketing companies tend to have a bigger impact on Twitter. You’ll want to choose more than one but stick to what’s manageable for you, and make sure to include LinkedIn. Do your research at the beginning to find out what would be best for your company, as it will pay off in the long run.
Once you’ve done your research and chosen your social media channels, aim to set aside a certain amount of time each week, and devise a routine that allows you to maximise your efforts without having to sacrifice other important business matters. Creating quality content that’s relevant to your audience and posting less often will receive more engagement over regular content that doesn’t resonate with anyone.
Also ensure that you’re different to other businesses in your field, as this will create more interest and awareness around your brand. When you’re stuck for ideas, take the time to draw inspiration and only post when you’re sure you can create an impact. Your audience will appreciate you for it and be willing to wait if they know you always get it right.
Where possible, use analytics services to monitor your user engagement and respond to any patterns that might be reoccurring. If you’ve made the decision to rotate topics related to your business, keep track of how each of those is doing and you can then reduce or increase the amount of content you post on each.
Analytics can also help you understand your audience better. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter all offer tools that help to give you an insight into your audience, with performance and engagement metrics, as well as your demographic, so incorporate them into your strategy if you want to maximise your potential.
Although your main priority will be to get yourself noticed by a relevant audience, don’t underestimate the power of your team. Not only might they be useful for ideas and research, they can also help boost your engagement.
Ask them to comment, like and share any posts made by the company, as it will give you an opportunity to target an even wider audience without too much effort. This is especially useful if you’re just starting out with your social media efforts and you struggle with engagement. Your team are likely to have some relevant connections from working in the industry, so it’s a simple yet effective way to improve your reach.
Just because there are so many social media variations available to use, doesn’t mean you need to go all out in attempt to maximise your small business’ potential. Less is more when it comes to social media, at least until you feel ready to expand. It’s possible to create a successful social media strategy as a small business without the expense, as long as you’re willing to choose quality over quantity and monitor your progress effectively.
Leila Wright writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in finding candidates their perfect internship. To browse their graduate jobs London listings, visit their website. For senior roles, see the Inspiring Search page.
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