Social media began as a way for friends and family to connect and share content online via computers, smartphones, tablets and other devices. It has since become the norm for businesses as a way to interact with customers.
The Fortune Global 100
— the top largest global companies — were mentioned more than 10 million times each month, according to the Burson-Marsteller Global Social Media Check-Up 2012. Twitter was the most popular type of social media used by Fortune 100 companies, and 87 percent used some type of social media.
Any company, not just a global business in the Fortune 100, can use social media well. Here are some ways a small business, or any business, can use social media to connect with customers:
Direct communication
When looking at new products, consumers can trust their friends’ online recommendations a lot more than a marketing campaign. Small businesses can use social media to reach out to new and existing clients.
The more “fans” a business has online, such as on Facebook, the more it can “likes” and “shares” it can encourage.
Twitter, for example, can be used to respond immediately to a customer who complains online about your company’s service. A business with a responsive Twitter account can quickly help a customer work through a problem with the business.
Photos
If your small business sells products that customers want to see before they buy, photos on the online photo-sharing service Instagram can help get your message to its main users in the 18-29 age group.
Pinterest is another option,
though its especially popular among women 18-49 years old. Pinterest allows users to share visual content such as photos and videos. Users can “pin” images from your website by clicking a “Pin it” button to help build brand awareness and drive traffic to your website.
Videos
The video sharing site YouTube is another social media site to convey your small business brand. While your videos may not go viral with millions of online views, they can at least show viewers your products and explain your services.
Brief videos of 2-3 minutes that get to the point quickly are best if you want a viewer to watch the entire video.
What to post, and when
Simply being active on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites isn’t enough. Content from your small business should be fresh and should focus on your clients instead of the company. What do they want to read about and view? Being an industry expert who provides interesting content will likely grow a loyal fan base for your business.
If your business sells XYZ gadget, show videos how to use it, articles on its benefits, and coupons on your website for upcoming deals.
Consistency
It is important when deciding post frequency. If your social connections are expecting two new posts per week, don’t disappoint by only updating it monthly.
When creating a social media presence for your small business, start small. Establish a presence on one or two platforms and interact with users and provide updated content regularly.
Write a brief bio
For each social media site you use, include links to your business website so potential customers can find you easily.
Once you’re comfortable using a few social media websites, start engaging with your connections by sharing their content, commenting and finding other ways to be friendly. Provide content that’s relevant to your user base instead of just bombarding them with information about your company.
The online credibility and reach of your small business will grow if you have a strong, professional and engaging social media presence. One way to improve it is to hire a social media manager who can devote the necessary time to it.
As more people rely on recommendations from friends and family to make purchase decisions, a strong social media presence may be one of the best tools a small business has to grow its business.
