The Secret to your Small Business Social Media Strategy
4.8 billion people use social media. That should make social media marketing super easy and effortless, right?
Unfortunately, it’s a bit more involved than that. Knowing a platform’s algorithm, including consistent changes made to it, can be overwhelming to navigate. But that doesn’t mean it has to be hard.
The secret to building a small business social media strategy comes from a few small steps and a lot of consistency.
We’ll show you how to conduct your own social media strategy:
Pick Your Platforms
Start with a platform you’re most familiar with and the platform where most of your target audience resides. Make an effort to post consistently and take some time to learn what makes the platform unique.
Do you like a little bit of everything? Instagram may be the place for you to start. While on the surface level it seems like it prioritizes pictures, you can also post videos (reels), stories, links, and so much more to continue engagement.
Ready to reach a younger audience and have a message that’s best delivered through video? Try TikTok. There’s also Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Facebook to consider.
If you don’t know the best one for you and your business, take some time and research each platform. Then, pick one to start and learn everything you can about how it works.
Design Your Content Pillars
Before you dive into creating a content calendar, it's crucial to establish your content pillars. These are the themes or topics around which your social media strategy will revolve. Defining these pillars ensures that your content is not only consistent but also strategically aligned with your brand's message and goals.
Think of content pillars as the foundation of your social media house. They guide what you post and ensure that your content resonates with your target audience. Here are some steps to help you identify and design your content pillars:
1. Reflect on Your Brand Identity: What are the core values and unique selling points of your business? Your content should mirror these elements to reinforce your brand identity.
2. Understand Your Audience: Who are you trying to reach? Understanding your audience's interests, challenges, and preferences helps in crafting themes that they will engage with.
3. Assess Your Goals: What do you want to achieve through social media? Whether it's increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or engaging with the community, your content pillars should contribute to these objectives.
4. Brainstorm Possible Themes: Based on your brand identity, audience, and goals, list potential themes. For a fitness brand, for example, pillars could include workout tips, nutrition advice, and customer success stories.
5. Narrow Down to Key Pillars: Choose 3-5 main themes that best represent your brand and will likely engage your audience. These will be your content pillars.
6. Plan Diverse Content Within Each Pillar: Within each pillar, plan a variety of content types - from educational posts to behind-the-scenes glimpses and user-generated content.
By establishing clear content pillars, you create a framework that guides your content creation process. This not only helps in maintaining a consistent and focused strategy but also in building a strong connection with your audience. Once your pillars are set, you can then proceed to create a content calendar that brings your strategy to life.
Create a Content Calendar
You don’t necessarily need to have everything (blogs, videos, podcasts, etc.) to have a content calendar. You can have one just for social media. Plan out what each week will look like.
Will you post every Tuesday and Thursday? Post something daily? Stick with your calendar to plan out what days will have social media posts and where you can fill in the gaps with future content as you grow. (Hello, future podcast!)
Don’t forget to mix things up! Post a mixture of videos, pictures, quotes, and more to keep your audience engaged and the algorithm happy.
Scheduling Tools
Automation is your friend. So why not automate your social posts? Scheduling tools provided by each platform or an all-inclusive one can be a game-changer for your business.
While many platforms have scheduling tools you can use, if you’re using multiple platforms, using a scheduling tool meant to manage all of your social media in one place is ideal. Think Hootsuite, CoSchedule, Sprout Social, and other tools. If you simply plan to use Instagram or FaceBook, consider Meta’s free scheduling tool and keep those overhead costs low!
Post Consistently
After you’ve made your calendar and scheduled your posts, it’s important to remain consistent with your plan. As you gain a following, they’ll come to expect certain content at certain times and days. An inspiration quote on Mondays and a pet spotlight on Wednesdays.
Do you run a storefront? Post new items on a certain day each week so your best customers know when the best stuff is coming. Running a special or discount? Post ASAP so your customers know they need to act fast or miss out, ensuring they’ll follow your account closely to never miss a deal again.
Be True to Your Branding
Audiences appreciate a consistent branding. Everything from your photos, to your words, to the colors used in graphics needs to align. Going from one message one day and another the next is confusing for your audience.
Don’t know your brand identity yet? Take some time to establish what makes your brand stand out and what your clients appreciate. If you need assistance with the direction of your brand, hire someone like us to give an outsider’s perspective and guidance.
Know Your Audience
You can have the best posts out there, but if they’re not reaching your ideal audience, your posts will fall flat. What kind of person is your ideal customer or client? What do they watch or do every day? Knowing the answers will help curate what kinds of posts you should make.
If you’re a fitness instructor, consider posting delicious recipes that boost energy and nourish the body or quick workouts they can do from anywhere.
Are you a photographer? Showcase sneak peeks of your latest photoshoot or offer a studio tour so your clients can get to know you.
Swift Responses
Consistent posting is important. The next most important thing is engaging with your audience. Are they gushing about your services? Comment with your appreciation and thanks. Do they have a question? Answer it ASAP so they know you’re there and ready to help. Even just liking or acknowledging comments can help increase engagement and show your posts to more people.
Your DMs will also need attention. DMs are a great way to find new clients. Some may be too shy to reach out on a public post, but plenty are more willing to ask you privately. Keep them open and make sure to respond within 24 hours. Busy schedule? Set up an auto response to answer right away.
Follow Trends
Keep a hand on the pulse of industry trends. Trends don’t have to just be the latest TikTok dance or sound. Within each niche, there may be smaller, specific trends you can capitalize on. Is there a big topic trending on LinkedIn in your industry? Make a post about it with your thoughts as a small business specializing in just that. Take some time to scroll your platform of choice in your downtime to stay up to speed on the latest trends within your niche.
Monitor Analytics
The numbers never lie. On every platform, you’ll have access to a variety of analytics when it comes to your posts. Observe metrics like engagement, reach, click-through rates, and more. You can also boost posts to reach an even wider audience.
If you’re seeing disappointing numbers, it’s your sign to revamp your social strategy.
Managing Social Media on Your Own? Not Anymore.
Not keen on shifting your focus to social media? You don’t need to. Instead, let Luneer Mgmt be your social media team or your brand revamp strategists.
We can handle your DMs, schedule posts, design social media graphics, and so much more. Whether you need help with just one task or need a social media overhaul, we have the team to tackle it all.
See our Full list of services here and schedule a call with us.
WRITTEN BY: GRETCHEN GALES