How to optimize your social media to increase sales.
Social media is one of the broadest and most widely used forms of marketing that exists. For small business owners, social media is the most effective marketing tool they have. With 74% of consumers relying on social media to guide their purchase decisions, this provides a massive opportunity for them to grow their business through quality content. There are many different opinions on how it should be used and every business does it differently. But which way is the “right” way? In this article, I will unravel a few “social media essentials” to help your business succeed in the digital marketplace.
Let’s start by making one thing clear: The key to any brand’s digital success is developing a strong online presence. This can be done through 3 essential practices.
Consistency
Messaging
Engaging with your audience
Each is just as important as the other and must be exercised in tandem in order for you to truly see growth. Now let’s dive into each practice.
Consistency. This refers to both how often you post and what you post. You want to make sure you are posting often enough to be seen by your audience a couple times a week, but not so much that it makes your audience tired of seeing you in their feed. I always create my clients a content schedule so we don’t forget to stay on top of our social channels and spread content out. Generally, you should start out with a couple posts a week and gradually increase your posts to 4 - 5 times a week. This will allow your audience to become accustomed to seeing your content in their feed and (hopefully) become more comfortable engaging with it.
The next thing to keep consistent is your content. This includes your content’s appearance, tone, and substance. Your messaging - what you say and how you say it - should always remain constant to allow your audience to identify with your brand. You can think of it as character development. Your audience needs time getting to know your brand, and any sudden changes in how you appear to them can prolong that process.
Messaging. The most important part of any social content. This will determine how your audience perceives your brand and will heavily influence whether or not they do business with you. You should try and position your content as if you are having a conversation with your audience. You should take into consideration what they value and write about things that will resonate with them. Your social content shouldn’t be an ad (although promotional announcements are good), but you can take social media as the opportunity to provide your audience with more information about your business. You can read more about social media content and what to post in our blog, Why organic content is essential.
Engaging. If you take anything away from this blog, let it be this: Engaging with your audience leads to more sales. A recent study revealed that on average, customers who engage with a company online will spend 20 - 40% more at the business in the long run. Engaging with your audience provides them a brand experience that will increase loyalty and resonate with them on a more personal level. Plus, it shows that you actively care about your business and your customers, and will positively influence your brand image.
If every one of these steps is done well, you’ll be on your way to establishing a strong online presence in no time. With a strong online presence, you’ll be easier to find, reach more customers, and in turn, make more sales. While these are the 3 most important guidelines to optimizing your social media, there are other ways you can help speed up the process and grow your audience. Things such as SEO and streamlining your content throughout every channel will help you develop a strong online presence and increase your exposure. You can read more about how to do that in our most recent blog, Driving Organic Growth: Growing your customer base without spending money.
Always remember, social media is a time consuming project that requires a lot of consistent attention. You will not see growth overnight, but if you stick to it you will reap the benefits down the road.
