Social media doesn't have to just be for big companies, learn a few ways you can take advantage for free
Social media is an important part of any marketing plan, but it can be especially important for small businesses. When you are competing against larger companies with deeper pockets, social media provides a way to get your business in front of potential customers without spending a lot of money on advertisements or other marketing strategies.
Firstly, it's important for you to figure out what social media platforms your customers are on. Some businesses have customers on all of the popular platforms, while others only need to use one or two. Whatever you decide to do, make sure that you have a strategy in place for each platform and it's unique audience so that your posts are consistant and appropriate for that platform so that people want to engage with them.
Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world with over 1.9 billion daily active users as of February 2021, and businesses can take advantage of this large user-base by creating a page and posting relevant content to it. Businesses can also run Facebook Ads that help them reach their target audience more directly and with higher ad spending.
Pinterest is another very popular social media site, and it is especially important for your business if you are selling products that appeal to a younger demographic, such as fashion or accessories. Pinterest can be used to drive traffic to your website and encourage purchases just like Facebook, but it also has boards that allow you to promote various products. For example, if you have a women's clothing store, Pinterest allows you to create a board for each item of clothing in your inventory so that potential customers can see what you have available.
Social media is important for businesses of all sizes, but it is especially useful for smaller companies that don't have the money or time to invest in traditional advertising strategies. If your budget is tight, social media provides an opportunity for you to get your business out there without breaking the bank.
Do you have a friend that is also in a business with a similar customer demographic? Ask them if you can both cross promote on each other's social media platforms. This way, you won't have to pay for an ad or some other type of marketing plan, but by simply giving a shout out to the other business once every so often, you can gain exposure and get new customers.
By promoting new products or special offers on social media, you can create an incentive for people to follow your page or business, which will help grow the size of your following. These incentives can range from discounts or coupons to free giveaways, but make sure that the incentives are relevant to the demographic of your customers. For example, if you own a candy store, free lollipops would be an incentive that appeals to young children while older people might not care about it.
Another great way to promote yourself on social media is to use referrals. If you have happy customers that are willing to give you a testimonial or review on your social media profiles, post it on there. Even if the customer only has one follower, that will still get your content in front of someone who might not already follow your business and demonstrate social proof of your business' ability to help clients.
In conclusion, social media is a great way for businesses of all shapes and sizes to market themselves in a way that is not only cost effective or totally free, but also gets great exposure directly to your chosen target demographic. Whatever platform you choose to use, make sure that your strategy is laid out before you start posting so that your page looks professional and you are getting the most out of your efforts.