SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING STRATEGY.

Social media marketing is an important marketing tool for many small businesses as it takes less time and effort. It is effective but it needs to be planned and executed systematically. The following tips will guide you on how to go about it.

1. Planning: Begin to list out your objectives and map out a plan-of-action to meet these objectives. You should think of what you want to get out of social media marketing and how. You must think about your audience and how you are going to reach them. By planning your ideas, you will have something to refer back to in case you lose focus.

2. Commitment: Once you decide to use social media marketing as a tool, it is most effective to be totally devoted to it. You either give it your all or nothing. More harm than good will be done if you go into it halfheartedly.

3. Build Your Followers: Start showing your presence on your website and consider offline tools like your business cards, catalogs. They can be used as a platform to advertise social media presence by adding your social media information to them. Create an email database of devoted followers so that you can communicate more with them to help your growing community.

4. Communicate: Social media marketing should be a two-way communication. It is also important that you are active and share useful content regularly. It’s not just about promoting products/services. Interact with your customers by engaging them making use of some interactive methods like polls, Questions & Answers among others.

5. Useful Content: Do not post only product and sales messages. It is boring and you will eventually lose followers since there’s no added value for them.  Share information that gives knowledge about your products/services to visitors/customers. You can also spice it up by adding a lot of things that may be indirectly related to your business.

6. Be Patient: It is not wise to make the mistake of expecting results immediately. Due to the fact that you run a small business, many people may not be aware of your products/services and may not follow you initially. It will take time to gain followers. Keep sharing useful information and interact well.

Social media marketing helps your small business to grow by gaining exposure to your brand. It also generates more leads as long as it is planned and implemented properly

Source | Nerve