The digital space has become so prevalent that it has developed into a business platform. Young social media influencers are earning a living creating content and advertising products.
In the last few years, businesses like Wendy’s and Taco Bell went viral on social media merely by entertaining and interacting with their followers. Why not use the internet to your advantage? Even my buddy Gary at G-Force Productions, an audio and video specialist based in Stockton, is hounding me for social media tips.
So, here you go Gary, four tips to help you market your business on social media in 2018.
Maintain a consistent aesthetic across all social media sites
When making a new account for your business on sites like Twitter and Instagram, be sure to use the same handle so that people who come across your profile can easily find or recognize your other social media profiles.
If your ideal username is already taken and you are forced to choose another one, try making a minor change to it like adding an underscore between words.
On a similar note, use the same background color scheme and profile photo for all of your social media accounts. Your business will have a professional and memorable online appearance, and people will know they came across your business profile at first glance.
Make a posting schedule
When it comes to social media marketing, posting consistently at the right times is key to increasing traffic.
Set aside time each month to create and publish content based on your work schedule and the activity of that specific social media site. People tend to be more active on social media at certain times of each day than others.
You can learn the best times to post by researching the user statistics for the social media sites you are using, or you can experiment by posting at different times each day and recognizing what your audience prefers. For instance, you may find that your audience interacts with your posts more in the late afternoon than in the morning.
In general, it is a good idea to start by posting at around 5 or 6 p.m. when most people have finished their workday. It may take a lot of work, but the more consistent you are, the better. Posting daily on all your social media sites at the time where your audience is most active is ideal.
Choose the right platforms
There are a lot of social media platforms out there, and creating content to market your business on all of them would be exhausting.
Narrow your focus down to a few platforms you think will work best for your company. For instance, if you are a freelance writer, posting content on Twitter is a far better use of your time than posting content on Pinterest. If you own a restaurant or bar, posting photos of your food and satisfied customers on Instagram is an excellent way to market your business.
Always consider the age of your target audience as well; if you are selling to middle-aged men, Tumblr may not be the best platform to promote your business.
Earn your audience’s trust
Whether you have five followers or 5,000, it is essential to be as attentive as possible and earn these individuals’ trust.
While creating content to market your business, you should keep two things in mind: avoiding spam and providing your audience with valuable content. If you shamelessly promote your business but do not give your audience useful or entertaining content, you will irritate and eventually lose many of your followers. Be as creative and authentic as possible. Post content that gives your audience information on a topic that relates to your business, then integrate promotion with these posts.
Depending on the nature of your business, people may publicly praise or complain about your products or conduct through social media. That gives you the opportunity to exhibit your professionalism and shows your audience that you are willing to resolve issues and appreciate their feedback.
Respond to complaints sincerely and helpfully rather than ignoring or responding with anger. When possible, re-post positive feedback; it is an easy way to share testimonials, market your business, and become more reputable all at the same time.
With these four social media marketing tips, hopefully, you feel equipped to take this approach for promoting your business in 2018.
Now get yourself out there and start creating.
− Dan Natividad, a Stockton native, owns Port City Marketing Solutions, and is willing to give advice to cool guys like Gary Hansen for the price of a cup of coffee. He can be reached at dan@portcitymarketing.com.