The world of social media is changing fast and furiously and with so many platforms out there it is easy to get overwhelmed which one to focus on besides the almighty Facebook.
Let’s face it as a small business owner, you only have ever so much time in your day so it is important to know where you can get the most bang for the proverbial buck not to mention your time.
HERE ARE 5 WAYS
TO SIMPLIFY
YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
TIP #1: It all depends on your TARGET MARKET
Ask yourself where do they most likely hang out and then consistently focus on the TOP 2 social networks they use to promote your services.
• If you are a designer, stylist, photographer or selling products related to a lifestyle & wellness, PINTEREST or INSTAGRAM will work well because your audience is into visual content and likely not interested in lots of text. Use # hashtags to link to your website or landing page.
• If you are marketing to corporate professionals, LinkedIn is likely your best bet. Be active in groups, start your own conversation threads and reach out to contacts that offer complimentary services to yours to see if you can partner with them.
• YouTube is great to showcase your webinars and tutorials. Just think how many times you go on there for “How-Tos”. Start creating your own YouTube channel. As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, viewers love video. It’s a great way for them to get to know you.
If you are unsure which social media networks your clients/customers are using ask them either in person, in email or via a tool like Survey Monkey. You can also do a search on each of the sites you are considering and see what comes up under your particular field or your business name and then join the conversation.
TIP #2: Link your Social Media accounts, so when you post on Instagram or Pinterest it shows up on your professional Facebook page. Same goes for your Twitter account.
TIP #3: Have a plan. Take some time on the weekend and map out your social media activity for the upcoming week. You can literally put your posts in a calendar along with a corresponding visual. (Use themes, inspirational quotes, share blog posts, newsletters, articles….)
TIP #4: Automate your posts via using tools like Hootsuite or Post Planner that let you schedule posts in advance, so you don’t have to scramble day of.
TIP #5: Give yourself a time limit especially on Facebook. It is important to interact in groups and provide value so you establish a presence and become known as an expert in your field. But hey, we all know we can get carried away and before you know it, you spent hours on there and nothing else got done.
Try this: Go in for 15 minutes in the morning, check in for another 15 minutes at lunch and in the evening.
Most importantly always lead with value first before you start offering your services as people go on social networks primarily to be social and build relationships.
Much love,
