Article by Beth Barrett
Social Media for Small Business is an interesting topic and might not be the first priority for some small businesses. A 50-hour week: where 8 hours goes to back-to-back meetings followed by at least 20 hours working on your product or service – another 10 hours managing suppliers and customers, at least 3 hours of unexpected phone calls and about a half hour on troubleshooting your temperamental printer, makes it easy to see how many businesses simply run out of time to focus on their Social Media channels.
If you’re keeping score, you will have noticed that your workweek leaves little time for creating, communicating, scheduling, managing and measuring your business’ social media channels. And yet quality social media content and management is essential to successful online marketing and growing your business in 2017.
Given that your time is a hot commodity, let’s keep this guide simple. Refer to this overview, which is specifically for small business owners to learn about where you should focus your social media efforts, without losing your sanity!
Social Media for Small Business – What to focus on:
Every business, industry, niche and customer persona is entirely unique, so this guide should be used as a starting point only. If in doubt, rather than spending countless hours on research, reach out to an expert in digital marketing.
Spend more time…
Creating on-brand Instagram content and with your followers
If your business is product-based or has any creative or design element, Instagram is the place for you. The platform still enjoys strong reach and engagement, particularly with a younger demographic.
It’s worth the time and investment to map out your posts to ensure they’re visually on brand, appealing and able to get your audience interested in who you are and what you offer.
Hanging out in Facebook groups and tagging relevant friends
One social media space you may not have considered is the good old Facebook groups. These groups are often highly niched and enjoy a strong presence from small business folk who are able to easily network, be tagged and promote their business.
The best Facebook groups are often best-kept secrets. So make sure to ask your networks of friends and other business owners to send you an invitation.
Keeping your LinkedIn optimised for opportunity
Particularly if you operate in the B2B space, LinkedIn is a key area of focus for your social media and social networking activity. If you haven’t found solutions to a business problem, a specialist referral when you need it, or a thought-provoking article, then you’re not doing LinkedIn right.
Getting value out of LinkedIn requires that you optimise your profile through well-written copy and a great photo at the minimum.
How much further you invest in your LinkedIn activity is up to you. With daily activity, you can stay on top of opportunities and updates in your network. You’ll also be able to share company updates and publish content through the Pulse platform.
Why is Social Media for Small Business relevant?
Don’t overlook the value of this highly engaged and connected social media platform.
If Social Media for Small business is all a little bit overwhelming, start with the basics of your chosen platforms, then carve out some regular blocks of time to focus on maintaining your social media objectives. It need only be an hour or two a week, but it could turn into valuable new business and build your online profile.
Beth Barrett is a guest blogger for Small Chilli Marketing. Her website is Beth Barrett Copywriting
