It is no secret that social media is a driving force in today’s society. Google’s own research team recently released statistics showing almost 40% of young people are now using social media like Instagram to search for restaurants and things to do. But there is so much information out there, and so many businesses competing for attention, that sometimes it may seem like you are blindly swimming through a vast ocean of information without anyone taking notice of you or what your small business has to offer.
I see this so often with my clients. There are so many amazing small businesses who get lost in the masses online, but my goal is to help you stand out!
Keep reading to learn how to get noticed on social media.
1) Create interesting and engaging images with keyword focused captions
The image you use for your social media posts will be the first thing your followers see. You want to make sure to get their attention, make them pause on your post, and encourage them to read the caption.
Once you convince them to read the caption, use the caption to your benefit with a call to action. Finding creative ways to encourage likes, comments, and link clicks is key to keeping your posts in the daily social media feed of your followers.
The use of keywords can help the social media platforms understand who your audience is. Using the correct keywords and hashtags in your captions is crucial for your small business’ social media.
2) Interact with your followers
Often, once small businesses post on their social media, that’s it. They are busy running their business and do not think about social media until it is time to post again. This is a mistake.
The idea behind building your social media accounts is that you are building relationships. If followers and customers comment on your posts and do not receive anything back from you, the relationship feels one sided. This causes people to engage less, and maybe over time even unfollow.
To avoid this, make sure to set aside time in your workday to respond to comments and messages. You could even take it a step further and reach out to followers who are repeat customers just to say hi, or welcome new followers and let them know you are available if they have any questions.
Just a few minutes a day can make a huge impact on earning the trust of your online following.
3) Encourage reviews and check-in
In today’s online world, reviews are huge! When people want to find a new restaurant, place to shop, or fun activity, they search online. Businesses with the most positive reviews and frequent check-ins show up more often at the top of the search engine lists, which is where you want to be.
Find ways to encourage your customers to check-in and leave reviews online. Put a sign at the cash register, offer a 5% discount if they show you that they checked in online, and showcase reviews on your social media to let them know how much you appreciate them.
4) Consistency is key
This is where small businesses struggle the most. I see it all the time. A business owner makes a plan and starts posting on a regular schedule. But after a few weeks, the plan falls through.
Running a business is a lot of work, and often when a business owner starts getting overwhelmed, social media is the first thing to go. This is understandable but can be detrimental to your business’s online presence.
Algorithms need consistency. This is where a content writer, like me, can come in handy. Having someone whose only goal is to create consistent, engaging content can take the stress off of you as the business owner. By hiring someone to help you with your small business social media marketing, you can rest assured that appropriate research is being done for keywords and hashtags for each of your posts, and you don’t have to lift a finger.
You can focus on running your business, while your content writer handles all the social media content!
Small business social media is important and taking steps to ensure your business gets noticed can make a huge difference. Having a social media strategy, and implementing the above tactics is a good start to getting your business front and center in online searches.
Does this sound like something your business needs but you don’t know where to start? I offer social media analysis and strategy guides for small businesses just like you! With this report and guide, I will analyze your current social media statistics, research other effective approaches within your industry, and create a plan for you to follow which includes important keywords to use, hashtags, the frequency you should be posting, and specific days and times that are best for your target audience.
Like the idea but just don’t have the time? You may need a content writer! To learn more about what a content writer does and if they are right for you and your online goals, visit this link.
And to receive similar content and be first to know about upcoming special offers, subscribe to my email list!