When it comes to startups and small businesses, they all have the same thing in common despite the industry – shoestring budgets.
And when it comes to getting the word out about what you are doing and the beauty of your product, funding for large-scale marketing is next to non-existent.
That is where social media comes to the rescue – social media marketing to be exact.
Social Media Marketing – ACEing It
Although many marketers despise social media as a marketing tool, it is one tool both big and small businesses should take seriously.
This is because of the A.C.E factors that are inherent in social media.
Let me quickly show you what I mean.
Affordable Advertisement
Of all marketing channels, social media can be the most cost-effective and yet powerful – that is if it’s done smartly.
All you have to do is build a good following and let that following help you spread the word about your product. That’s the organic way. In fact, a study revealed that 71% of people who are helped by a brand on social media are likely to recommend it to their friends.
If you decide to go the paid way, you still get to send out great ads commensurate with your shoestring budget. And especially if you use some social media spying tools, you can fine-tune your campaigns to better increase your ROI. These Facebook ad spy tools are a great place to start. These will help you see what kind of ads are successful so that you can, no not copy, but learn what they are doing right.
Convenient Connections
The other inherent power that comes with social media is that it affords you the ease of making connections with influencers that can help move the needle when it comes to conversions.
Yes, I’m talking about influencer marketing.
I know influencer marketing is losing its flavor and power, but we are talking about smart social media strategies here.
The smart way to do social media for small businesses is to connect with micro influencers.
Apart from driving greater and more meaningful engagement than big-name influencers, they are also affordable.
Easy Exposure
With your own fan base and the fans of other influencers in your social media circle, it becomes easy to gain exposure for your business and product.
It doesn’t get any better than that.
After all, marketing is all about getting as much exposure as you can.
With those three elements laying down the foundation of your social media marketing, you can now move on to the next step – doing social media the smart way in order to drive your business forward.
3 Smart Ways to Drive Conversions (and Sales) on Social Media
The reason many marketers fail to see the benefit of social media marketing is that they do it wrong.
Let me show you 3 simple tips you can do it right.
1. Give Your Business a Human Touch
The reason people are on social media is to connect to other human beings – not brands.
And this is where many small businesses miss it. They are on social media as brands.
Sure, big brands like Coca-Cola and Nike can afford to be on social media as brands because they are already well known.
You, on the other hand, are an unknown entity.
No one cares about you (ouch!).
The solution is simple – be human.
One of the best ways you can give your brand a much needed human touch on social media is by telling stories. No, not fairy tales, although done right they too can work. People love stories, so tell them your brand story. Brand stories are powerful marketing tools that have the potential to help you build a powerful tribe of followers.
Another great way to give your business a human touch on social media is by involving your staff and customers. By giving them an opportunity to share their experiences with your brand, you are sending out a powerful message that your business is not just out to make a profit but to touch lives.
A human touch will always give your business an edge when it comes to social media marketing.
Give it a try. You’ll definitely smile all the way to the bank.
2. Have a Plan
Another smart tip for social media marketing is to have a good plan for your social media campaigns.
Just because it’s social media doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be a plan and strategy for your activities on social media.
That attitude is a sure recipe for disaster.
Instead, everything you do on social media as a small business should be strategic.
With an estimated 2.77 billion of the world’s population expected to be on social media by 2019 and with 58% of the current user base interacting at least once with a brand on social media, it’s imperative for you to come up with a great social media marketing strategy. With an estimated 2.77 billion of the world’s population expected to be on social media by 2019, it’s imperative for you to come up with a great social media marketing strategy Click To Tweet
Haphazard interaction and random posting of promotions just won’t cut it.
3. Create a Social Media Department
Social media should not be an after-thought when it comes to gaining exposure and customers. It needs to be planned for.
That is why, tight as your budget may be, you need to have someone whose sole responsibility is your social media department. The best way to do this in the initial stages is to hire a freelance social media manager. This will not only cut down your expenses but will give you someone with expertise in the field.
After all, the best entrepreneurs are those who know what they are good at and hire those better than them to handle what they are not so proficient in.
In a 2017 industry report by the Social Media Examiner, it is noted that 64% of marketers spend 6 hours a week on social media. In a 2017 industry report by the Social Media Examiner, it is noted that 64% of marketers spend 6 hours a week on social media. Click To Tweet
As a small business, 6 hours is a lot as each hour counts with product development and other business operations demanding every last second of your day.
Sure, outsourcing may look like the social media marketing department is not a part of your operations but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
It’s simply working with a contractor and everything they do is a part of your business.
Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses – It’s No Longer an Option
Like it or not, social media is a platform every serious business have to integrate it into their marketing strategy. After all, marketing is about going where the people are. And in today's world, social media is where they are. So go ahead. Develop a social media strategy, implement it, and enjoy the growth of your business. And the best part? All this can be done on a shoestring budget.
Kato Nkhoma is a unicorn content writer who specialises in creating highly engaging content that will keep readers coming back for more.
If you’re looking for something special to beef up your content marketing, this unicorn is it.
