With sources of revenue thinning for many businesses, owners are looking at creative and affordable ways to market themselves. Social media sites are great places for gaining exposure, as long as you know how to use them successfully. Once you’ve signed up for several accounts, written good content, and taken beautiful photos, you’ll have everything ready for your platforms of choice. The question is, how do you use them to market your business? Activity on social media websites has only increased since the outbreak of COVID-19. By cultivating an active online presence, you’ll see more traffic on your website, greater brand awareness, and increased sales.

Choose the right platforms.

You might find it confusing to determine where to begin with social media. There’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram…and we’re just getting started. Which platform is best to market your business? The answer depends on your industry and the demographic you’re targeting. Is your prime market millennials? This age-range is commonly found on Facebook. For younger generations, build your presence on platforms like Instagram or Snapchat. Start a dialogue about your business by joining Twitter; the ability to retweet what your customers are saying about you is an effective way to boost your credibility. The owner of Cold Turkey Vape Shop found that by creating an Instagram account, they were able to reach their target demographic more easily. If you’ve got the ambition for it, why not create an account on every platform? This route is time-intensive, but it ensures the widest reach for your business.

When you’re creating posts for multiple accounts, consider how you should change your content for each. The same photo you post on LinkedIn and Instagram might need a slightly different caption for each platform. 

Make a content schedule.

Everyone dreads the feeling of missing a deadline. After you’ve committed to posting every week, you may look at the date and realize your content was supposed to go live that day—except that you haven’t made it yet. You must post regularly to maintain an active presence on social media. When you spend time each week making content, a faster Windows 10 computer will help you spend your time efficiently. Some times of the day are more optimal for posting than others; with a content schedule, your photos will be automatically uploaded at your selected time. 

Interact with your followers.

Building a relationship with your followers makes it more likely they’ll remember you when they require your products or services. Studies show that people are 57.5% more likely to buy from brands that they follow. If you’re looking to increase engagement on your posts, host a contest or a giveaway. 

Small businesses can benefit by sharing their stories on social media. When people can connect with who you are and the challenges you’ve faced, that puts a name and face to your brand. They might identify with parts of your story and be more likely to support you.  

Promote your products/services in your posts.

Great content strikes a balance between entertaining or informative posts and promotional ones. A funeral chapel business discovered that many of their customers were on Facebook; they decided to share videos of live services that they’ve held, and more people began to find their business.  

When posting promotional content, caution is advised: if you spam your followers with ads, 46% of people will unfollow you. You may want to limit your ads to one post a week. On the other days, share photos or news. Is it better to strike a humorous tone with your audience, or one that’s more professional? Look at your analytics to see which kinds of posts get the most engagement.

If your business wants to thrive during the pandemic, you can’t afford to overlook social media marketing. Creating content and engaging with users takes time, but it can translate into a widely-recognized brand and more paying customers. ?