What is the best social media network for my business?
It depends on your business. There are social media platforms out there for everyone and everything. There are ones to connect people who share the same interests, hobbies etc. There are too many to have you be present on all the time. The top most popular are Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest.
The best way to find out which is best for you is to conduct a survey with your clients. Ask them which platform they use, where they get their information online. It also helps to know how you want to get your business out there. For e.g., if you are a photographer then Instagram is the best platform for you as it is mostly photo based posts. Live videos, for e.g, you are a fitness instructor then Facebook is the one for you. Do your research.
Should I be on all the platforms?
No. It depends where your ideal customers “hangs out” and how much time you have and how well you know the platform. If you don’t like the platform the type of customer on there is probably not going to be a perfect match for your company. Using more than one platform will of course give you more of an audience and more chance of getting your business out there but you do not want to get list in it either. Remember the social media page is there to help drive more traffic to your site.
How do I grow my following on social media?
Firstly, give people a reason to follow you. Invite people to follow your page, post in relevant groups that could potentially link to your business and sales.
Paid advertising: Running an ad will get you closer to your ideal client. When you do advertise you can create your ideal target audience which has the benefit that they are not just your friend and family but potential customers.
Include a visual in each of your posts to make it more appealing to potential clients and existing followers. Be creative but not too much detail as this could put people off. Again do your research and she what others are doing.
Be proactive and listen and respond to your online community. Never ignore them! Great customer service leads to recommendations which leads to more customers.
How often should I post?
Ideally every day, but it depends on how much time you have and whether you have enough content. Content is king. Post relevant information, not any old info - make the post count! Don’t just use your social media as a noticeboard for sales posts. People tend to lose interest if you post more than once a day.
A recent survey showed that engagement dropped by 50% if people with less than 10,000 followers post more than once a day. Know your audience. This helps to know when to post, i.e. time of day. It's not good posting to night workers at noon as most will be sleeping.
Should I use a scheduling tool?
In short yes. This will help you to be consistent and much more time efficient. Writing the content in blocks makes it easier for you to create a story and give people a reason to come and view your page.
For example, riddles. Posting riddles in the morning and then posting the answer at lunch time. Or post a 7-day challenge. You want people to come back daily and visit your page and see what you have to offer.
You can plan ahead weeks in advance so can coincide with certain times of the year i.e. Christmas, Easter and summer holidays etc.
You can get in early with your posts and won't miss out. We are all guilty of saying how these events creep up on us so quickly and this way you can be preprepared.
As Benjamin Franklin once said:
'By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail’.
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