Social Media Best Practices for Small Businesses
We’ve previously discussed why social media is important for your small business and how to find your unique audience, but now let’s talk about some Social Media Best Practices that will help you succeed right out of the gate.
1. Plan your Content
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes struggle with taking the time to plan my social media content. I’m definitely guilty of posting every time something pops into my head. There have also been times when I’ve meant to take the time to strategize, but other things seemed to take precedence and suddenly I realize I haven’t posted in about 4 months. Oops.
A disorganized or neglected social media feed can make it difficult for your audience to determine important information about your business. Take the time to plan out what you want your audience to know, how you want to present that information, and when you will share your content.
2. Develop your Aesthetic (and stick with it!)
A beautiful Instagram feed or informative Facebook page starts with a plan. What fonts are you going to use? What colors? Do you want all of your photos to use the same filter? How should your graphic posts look?
This is where your style guide can come in handy!
A style guide is a set of guidelines that can give your brand a consistent look and feel while also saving you tons of work and mental energy. If you already have your colors and fonts picked out and a template for various graphics, it is much easier to plug in new ideas whenever it is time to create content.
3. Do your Research
It may not sound super fun, but research is an excellent way to level up your social media game. If you can figure out the best time to post your content, you know when your audience will be online to see it.
Learning which hashtags are being used by your competition, related industries, and your audience will help you tag your content in a way that increases your exposure.
Staying current on the most recent trends and changes in social media means you can make your mark before something is too overdone to be interesting anymore.
4. Be Part of the Conversation
Social media marketing is as much about what you give as it is about what you get. Users don’t want to be constantly sold to and bombarded with ads and sales. Think about how you can get your brand out in the social stratosphere without pushing a promo.
A few ideas to get you started:
· Start a conversation in your post comments
· Engage with content by other brands or users
· Respond to comments, messages, and tagged posts
· Share things that are interesting and relevant to your brand or niche
· Publish content that adds value like blogs or tips
· Create content that is just for fun
Social media can be a huge asset to a small business when it is done well! Take the time to do it right, and let me know if you have any other tips you think I should add to this list!
