Dos and Don’ts of Social Media Marketing for Small Business
As you look ahead into the next year and consider your 2016 marketing strategy, reading tips to get a better idea of which ‘dos’ you should implement, remember that it is equally important to make sure that you do not continue to make the same mistakes. Read these three cardinal social media marketing don’ts before you put a plan together:
DON’T skip the plan
Many small business owners vow at the end of every year to make the next year better, more efficient, and therefore more profitable. The same goes for the marketing plans that seem crucial when the year winds down, and then fall by the wayside in the New Year. Social Media marketing is about much more than talking about yourself online, it is a way for small businesses to have a conversation with their customers to build a fruitful relationship. This requires a thought-out voice backed by a strategic plan.
DO identify your audience
You can make the conversation much more interesting and effective if you know who you are talking to. Identify your target audience and look at the social media accounts they follow to learn what is important to them and how like their content delivered.
DON’T randomly choose social media platforms
There are many social media platforms and it seems like there is a new one every day. Entrepreneurs and small business owners can feel pressured to maintain a presence on every single platform. Each social media platform has its own purposes with its own users.
DO define your platform
Just like you have to determine your target market, you also need to narrow down the myriad of social media platforms to determine which is most conducive to connecting with your customers, and can best transmit your message. For example, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram marketing works best with highly visual content, making them great platforms for companies selling interesting products or operate in beautiful places.
DON’T just self-promote
Yes, your followers are interested in your company, which is why they follow your social media accounts to begin with. However, you can drive away even your most excited followers by constantly talking about yourself and the company. Social media provides a platform for you to share information about your brand with a large audience, but that is not why most people use social media.
DO share interesting content
Engaging followers in an online conversation means sharing interesting content that elicits a reaction, a response. If you run a bike repair shop, publish a wild Tour de France story with a video of this peculiar situation. Bike enthusiasts likely enjoy content about biking and everyone appreciates a crazy story, and now you’re thinking like a content marketer.
