In the ever-evolving world of social media, small businesses must stay ahead of the curve to effectively connect with their audiences. And whilst we look in more depth at these here at The Practical Marketing Club, we’re sharing here ten essential strategies that can help enhance your social media presence and drive engagement that you can get working on today.
- Know Your Audience
Understanding your target audience is crucial because all good marketing puts the customer first. Analyse demographic data and online behaviours to tailor content that resonates with them. Use tools like surveys or social media and website analytics to gather insights. Think about how often you’ve felt a brand really ‘gets’ you? That’s what you’re aiming for, your ideal customers need to feel you’re communicating with them. - Choose the Right Platforms
Not every platform will suit your business. Focus on those where your audience is most active. For example, Instagram and TikTok might be considered as appealing to younger demographics, while Facebook may be considered better for reaching older audiences. However, making assumptions can cost you presence in the right place as there are power-houses on LinkedIn in their 20s and TikTokers in their 60s with an audience to impress. Think of the customer and their likes and dislikes, not where you like to spend time. - Create Quality Content
Invest time in creating high-quality, visually appealing content. Utilise images, videos, and graphics that reflect your brand’s personality and values. Consistency in branding helps build recognition. And, if you join us within The Practical Marketing Club, you’ll get to avail of training on Canva with our in-house Canvassador, Debbie Ringwood to assist you with this. - Leverage User-Generated Content
Encourage your customers to share their experiences with your products or services. User-generated content not only fosters community but also serves as authentic testimonials that can influence potential customers. And, if you can, get that content on video for an even more powerful impression with your audience. - Engage with Your Audience
Social media is a two-way street. Respond to comments and messages promptly, and engage with your followers through polls, questions, and interactive stories to create a sense of community. Creating powerful content can only achieve so much, it’s the interactions, responses and your visibility that can make a real difference as nobody likes a brand that ‘posts and ghosts’. - Utilise Hashtags Effectively
Hashtags increase the discoverability of your posts. Research relevant hashtags in your niche and combine popular ones with specific tags to reach a broader yet targeted audience. And remember, just because you can add a lot of hashtags on Instagram, this doesn’t mean you should replicate this for LinkedIn – one of the topics that Hanna McDonnell will cover in an upcoming LinkedIn training for our members. - Run Contests and Giveaways
Contests and giveaways can quickly boost engagement and attract new followers. Encourage participants to like, comment, or share your content for a chance to win a prize related to your business. But and it’s a pretty big BUT, don’t ever run a giveaway to get numbers because it’s always quality over quantity and bringing in 1,000 new likes who have no interest in your offering will do more harm than good in the long term. - Invest in Paid Advertising
Consider allocating a budget for paid social media advertising. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and X/Twitter offer advanced options that can help you reach specific audiences effectively. Advertising doesn’t have to cost a lot and each platform should always be considered based on your strategy because what works well on TikTok will be quite different to LinkedIn. And of course there are paid ads on search engines such as Google too which are a completely different type of ad and should also be approached with caution to ensure they’re right for your business objectives. - Monitor Analytics and Adjust Strategies
Regularly review analytics on your social media channels to understand what types of content performs best. Use insights from engagement metrics to refine your strategy and focus on what works. While you can ‘rinse and repeat’ to an extent, it’s important to be mindful that your strategy should never be set in stone as what works well now won’t be the same as a year from now. - Stay Updated on Trends
Social media trends can shift rapidly. Keep an eye on emerging trends, features, and algorithms to adapt your strategies accordingly and maintain relevance in the digital landscape. At the same time, don’t just jump on a trend because everybody seems to be trying it either, sometimes there’s a lot to be said for standing back and watching out something is working out to ensure you get it right for your brand – and don’t wait too long either as nobody wants to be that person who jumped on a trend six months later!
By implementing these strategies, small businesses can enhance their social media presence in, foster connections with their audience, and drive growth.
At The Practical Marketing Club we’ll be working with solopreneurs, start-ups, small business owners and marketing employees on some of the ideas we’ve listed and a lot more too. If business growth is a priority right now, we’re THE place to be!