So, you’ve decided what social media platform you’d like your business to join, but you’re not sure what kinds of things to post. Or maybe you’ve had an account for a while, but you’re not sure how to post in a way that will effectively reach your target audience. We’re here to help.
What Should my Business Post on Social Media?
The images and text in your posts (also called your content) depend on what type of business you represent. Perhaps you own a restaurant, a real estate business, or are a general contractor. One particular type of social media post may fit well for one business, but may not work for you. It’s vital to know your audience and speak in a way that connects with them. Here are some ideas that may adapt well to your brand:
- General product information
- Show your work in action
- Talk about your new products or services
- Show charity work from your team
- Say “thank you” to your customers/fans
- Host a Q&A session related to your services (live chat or even video)
- Share tips of the trade
- Share articles from other non-competing sources
How Often Should My Business Post?
Ideally, posting something every day will put you in front of your audience, allowing your business to become familiar and accessible. Social media algorithms usually favor accounts that post often and have regular content interaction. But if your company can only afford to spend time to post 3-5 times per week, this can also produce good results. The point is to be regular and share as often as you reasonably can.
One thing that can help: create a regular social media schedule. Not only will it help you stay organized, but your followers will also begin to anticipate your content, allowing you to build brand loyalty for your business.
How Can I Get Customers to Find my Business on Social Media?
This is a source of frustration for many businesses, especially those who are very new to the world of social media. You feel that you’ve done everything right, but your audience has not grown. But don’t quit. Here are some ideas to help you be more successful in finding the audience your business needs.
Use Hashtags
Hashtags are clickable words that allow you to identify posts which have a similar topic. For business owners, hashtags can be very useful. It pays to do some research and see what kind of hashtags are popular with your desired viewer. Hashtags can be used to great effect on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Use multiple hashtags to help cast your net wider; but use caution, since using a wall of hashtags may be visually unappealing to users.
Use Location Tags
For small businesses, location tags can be a powerful way for local shoppers to find your services. Many social media platforms allow you to tag your posts with a location. By clicking the location tag, you can see all sorts of posts similarly tagged and created from your local area. But be smart; location tags should be used in conjunction with a relevant selection of hashtags. (For example: @Columbus #builder #contractor / @Providence #realestate #newhome)
Try an Ad Campaign
It has become increasingly difficult for businesses to reach out to the right audience on social media for free. Happily though, most small businesses find that a targeted ad campaign can be easily tailored to their needs and budget. With thoughtful planning and careful review, a business can succeed in capturing its audience’s interest and getting profitable results.
What Should I Keep In Mind When Interacting With Followers?
Once you do start to see some engagement with your audience, there are some important things to remember in order to put the proverbial ‘best foot forward’ for your business. Here are a few important tips:
Log in.
It’s an easy mistake to make: if you’re logged in under your personal account and make replies from your business account, it can confuse your audience, and give them the impression that your business isn’t professional. Speaking of professional:
Keep your message professional.
Posting personal matters on your business’s account is taboo. Occasionally showing your face and the company culture can help humanize your business, but your services and products should be the highlight of your social media account. Remember that your audience likely has varying strongly-held opinions on many matters, so it’s best to also limit posting political, religious, and other controversial topics.
Handle negative feedback positively.
Being on social media allows you to connect with your audience, and it allows your audience to connect with you. At times, unhappy customers or members of the public will take your business to task over their negative interactions. How should you handle this? Remember to stay calm, try to look at the situation from the customer’s perspective, and make sure you state that you would like to follow up with them personally. Always keep in mind that prospective customers will form opinions about your business based on how you deal publicly with unhappy people. You can use an unhappy interaction to your advantage – or it can be a detriment. It’s all in how you respond.
How Can I Get Help with my Social Media Management?
We know that handling your social media accounts can be a big investment of your time – and can be risky if placed in inexperienced hands. If you would like to discuss our social media management services, we would love to talk to you!
Contact us by filling out the form below and we’ll be in touch right away.
