Social media marketing can be a powerful tool for small businesses looking to reach new customers and drive sales. With over 3.6 billion people using social media worldwide, there is no shortage of potential customers for small businesses to engage with.

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1. Choose The Right Platforms

Not all social media platforms are right for every business. Consider where your target audience is most likely to be, and focus on those platforms. For example, if your business is targeting younger customers, you may want to focus on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. If you’re targeting a more professional (B2B) audience, LinkedIn may be a better choice. However, most local businesses are likely to find their ideal customer on Facebook, and here’s why…

• 155 million use Facebook daily, with an average of 58 minutes spent on the site per day. That’s a lot of people to introduce your business to.
• Facebook is a popular platform for brand engagement, with over half of US consumers stating that they have liked or followed a business on the platform.
• The most active users on Facebook are between the ages of 25-44 years old. 54% Women, 46% Men. This demographic holds the most economic buying power in the US today.

Here is a breakdown of what social media platforms are most commonly used per industry:

• E-commerce: Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, Pinterest
• Healthcare: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter
• B2B: LinkedIn, Google, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube
• Education: YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Food and Beverage: Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, YouTube
• Travel and Tourism: Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, YouTube, Twitter
• Fashion: Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube, Pinterest
• Real Estate: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube
• Interior Design: Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Facebook
• Luxury: Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube, Facebook
• Home Service & Construction: Google, Facebook, YouTube
• Law Firms: Google, Facebook, YouTube, Tik Tok
• Beauty: Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest
• Health & Wellness: YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok
• Events: Facebook, YouTube, Tik Tok, Instagram
  

It’s worth noting that these are general trends and different businesses within the same industry may have different social media strategies based on their target audience and goals. It is important to research and understand your target audience in order to determine which platforms will be most effective for your business.

2. Create Valuable Content

The key to success on social media is creating content that your audience will find valuable and engaging. This can include blog posts, infographics, and the most effective…videos. Consider what your audience is interested in, and create content that speaks to their needs and interests. You can start this with the camera that is in your pocket, your smartphone. When starting to create content, it’s what you have to say that is important, not how it looks. Obviously, make sure people can see you and hear you clearly. Remember, it’s your information that holds the value. Keep in mind, less is more on social media. If you think you will have an issue not saying enough… you’re wrong. Micro content (30-60 second videos) is the king of online media consumption at the moment.

Content ideas you can start recording… Today!

• Think of the biggest problems your customers have, then teach them the solution to each of those problems on video.
• Write listicle tip blogs on your website sharing valuable information with your ideal customer.
• Copy and paste that blog post on social media posts on Facebook, LinkedIn, & Google My Business. This is defined as long-form posts.
• Read your reviews and answer any questions on a video post.
• Record the solution your product or service offers a customer. Use these posts sparingly though. Give value a few times before posting something that benefits you, then rinse and repeat.
  

3. Engage With Everyone Who Engages With You

Social media is a two-way conversation, so make sure you are interacting with your followers. Respond to comments and messages, and encourage your followers to engage with your content by asking questions and running polls. This benefits you in more ways than one. Not only will people feel heard and see you as an authority figure in your industry, but this also helps the social media algorithms. By responding to comments, you are doubling your engagement ranking i.e 1 comment + 1 reply = 2 comments. The more engagement a post receives (comments, likes, shares, video views) the more the social media platforms display your content to more people.

Remember this, less than 10% of a social media following actually sees your content. This is called Organic Reach. Organic reach refers to the number of people who see your content on social media without any paid promotion. The amount of organic reach that a business can expect to receive on social media can vary, depending on a number of factors such as the size of the business’s following, the engagement rate of the content, and the algorithm of the particular platform. Bottom line, the more you can do to increase engagement, the higher organic reach you will earn.

4. Use Paid Advertising

While organic reach on social media can be limited, paid advertising allows you to target specific demographics and interests at scale. This can be a cost-effective way to get your content in front of a larger audience and help drive traffic and sales to your website or brick-and-mortar. Paid social media advertising can be a valuable tool for local businesses looking to reach new customers and drive sales. Some of the benefits of using paid social media advertising include:

• Targeted reach: Paid social media advertising allows businesses to target specific demographics and interests, ensuring that their ads are seen by the people most likely to be interested in their products or services. This can be especially useful for local businesses, as they can target ads to people within a specific geographic area.
• Cost-effective: Paid social media advertising can be an affordable way for businesses to reach a large audience. Many social media platforms offer flexible pricing options and allow businesses to set a budget and only pay for the results they get.
• Measurable results: Paid social media advertising provides businesses with detailed analytics and metrics, allowing them to track the performance of their ads and make informed decisions about their marketing efforts.
• Increased visibility: Paid social media advertising can help businesses increase their visibility on social media platforms, making it more likely that their content will be seen by potential customers.

Social media advertising can be an effective way for your local business to reach new customers and drive sales. By targeting specific demographics and interests and tracking the performance of ads, you can use paid advertising to effectively grow your customer base and boost your bottom line.

5. Use Social Media to Showcase Your Local Business

Social media is a great way to showcase your business and what makes it unique. Use your profiles to highlight your products and services, and showcase your company culture. This can help you stand out in a crowded market and build a loyal customer base. Using social media to showcase a local business can have a number of benefits, including:

• Increased visibility: Social media can help local businesses increase their visibility and reach a larger audience. By creating a strong presence on social media, businesses can attract new customers and showcase their products or services to a wider audience. The best way to do this is by posting valuable content. Content that teaches an ideal customer how to solve a problem they have or content that changes something… Their perspective, their desires, their mood, or even their day.
• Improved customer service: Social media provides a platform for businesses to interact with their customers and address any issues or concerns in real-time. This can improve customer satisfaction and help businesses build a loyal customer base.
• Enhanced reputation: By showcasing positive reviews, customer interactions, and valuable content on social media, businesses can enhance their reputation and build trust with their audience while building their audience. In the marketing industry, this is called Social Proof.
• Increased website traffic: Social media can drive traffic to a business’s website, providing an additional channel for customers to discover and learn more about the business, product, or service offerings.

All in all, social media can be a powerful tool for local businesses looking to increase visibility, improve customer service, and enhance reputation by gaining trust… increases sales. By effectively using social media to showcase your business, your local businesses can attract new customers while driving sales… Daily!

If you are a local business owner looking for a cost-effective way to reach new customers and drive sales, we can help here at Media 2 Social Marketing. As a leading social media marketing agency in Central Texas, we have the expertise and experience to help your business succeed on social media. Our team of social media experts will work with you to create a customized strategy that leverages the unique strengths of your business and targets the right audience on the right platforms.

But don’t just take our word for it – see for yourself the results that our clients have achieved with our help Here!