Share this Article
Want to take your social media presence to the next level but not sure how? Social media for business can be overwhelming – we know, we’ve been there!
That’s why we want to share the top 10 tips that helped us when it comes to representing your business on social networks.
Why You Should Care About Social Media for Business
Did you know that 67% of the UK population are on social media?
Now consider that 74% of social media users say that posts influence their purchasing decisions.
That’s a huge market left untapped if you don’t get your business on at least the main four social networks. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn are hugely valuable tools for business.
And, even better, they’re all absolutely free.
10 Ways to Find Your Brand Power
Social media doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow these 10 tips to make sure your profiles are working for your business.
Know Your Audience
First and foremost, find out where your audience spends its time. While it’s good to have profiles on several networks, finding out which social media sites your customers prefer can help you focus your energy in the right place.
Facebook is still the biggest site for UK members with nearly 80% of the country’s internet users on the network. Instagram is also popular with 24 million UK users. However, demographics vary greatly between the two networks.
Identify your dream customer then find out which social network they’re most likely to use based on age, gender, interests, and other factors.
Know Your Networks
Social media is a fast-moving world. Stay up to date with the latest networks and trends to make sure you’re not missing a trick when it comes to reaching your customers.
Trying to connect with a younger audience? Keep track of and use newly popular sites like TikTok.
Each network also has different rules and tactics for boosting engagement. Make sure you know how to use hashtags, stories, and @mentions to maximise your output.
Research Competitors
It’s hard to be different if you don’t know what your competitors are doing.
Find similar businesses whose social media strategy you admire. See what they’re doing, what works for them, and what you could improve on. Is there anything missing from their accounts that you could offer with yours?
Avoid Stereotypes
Now that you know what your rivals are doing, you can stand out. That’s not to say you have to go in the complete opposite direction. But avoiding the sorts of stereotypical posts associated with your industry will make you seem much more interesting to potential customers.
Avoid premade social media templates or anything else that makes you blend in. Get creative with your content to make sure it reflects who you are as a company. Check out our guide to building your personal brand for more.
Keep it Personal
Talking of showing your customer who you are, don’t underestimate the personal touch. This is especially effective if you’re an SME.
There’s been a huge swing to community-minded enterprise in the last decade. Posting personal content helps your audience learn about you and the story of your business. Honesty is much more trustworthy and compelling than faceless, corporate posting.
Be Consistent
Once you’ve conducted your research, pick a persona and stick to it. Craft a tone of voice that suits your business and plan content that helps tell customers the story of your brand.
Not only will this make regular posting easier, but it also ensures your profiles look unified and professional. It’s particularly important to have a strong and consistent brand on visual networks like Instagram.
Ditch the Sales
In a recent survey of social network users, more than 50% said that over-promotion was the thing that annoyed them most about social media for business.
Take a look at your content; are you always selling? Could this be putting people off?
Give Value
Instead, give your customers value. Find out what your typical customer is interested in and give it to them. Would they appreciate your social media profile as a news source for the latest in your industry? Can you offer expert advice that might help them in some way? Can your business give back to your real or digital community?
All of these actions help to identify you as a brand worth following.
Engage
Of course, you don’t just want passive followers. Audience engagement is far more effective at attracting potential customers and people who will stay loyal to your brand.
Ask questions, run competitions, create fun games, start hashtags – anything that helps to turn your brand into a community.
Use Video
Whichever social media networks you choose to be on, don’t overlook video. According to research by Optinmonster, videos generate 66% more leads than other forms of marketing.
You don’t have to be an expert filmmaker either. Short, snappy videos of you chatting about your business or industry can provide value to your audience – with the added benefit of introducing yourself too.
Social media for business is becoming more important than ever. Hopefully, these 10 simple tricks will help you boost your business’s social presence and attract new customers.
We want to be friends with you too! Come and say hi on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Share this Article
