Many small businesses love social media because it’s free, but feel very overwhelmed and intimidated by it all. Some our clients started off initially being very enthusiastic about posting tweets and Facebook pages manually for about 1 month, then they either start to run out of things to post, or feel drained by the demands of keeping their social media profile active and interesting. Well we totally understand how they feel and appreciate how easy it is at this stage to give up altogether. But, don’t give up! This is an opportunity for free worldwide exposure, and all it takes is forward planning and using technology properly! So lets master social media with: Who, Why, What, Where, When?
Who? Why?
The first and most important thing to ask yourself, is who are your customers and where do they tend to ‘hangout’ ? Once you have figured this out, you can find the best ways to catch their attention. For example, if you are targeting mothers in the UK to buy your awesome new baby food, then you need to think of magazines, websites, newspapers which they may read; so mumsnet.com or any other online presence such as a facebook mother’s group. Do you have a blog on your website? If you have, you can write articles/blogs to entertain, amuse, or teach your readers. Well written blogs on your website give you a cache of being a person or company with authority and expertise. It can also can shared on various social media groups which can also drive traffic to your website.
What?
Once you have figured out who your customers are, you then can think about what is of interest to them? What can you post or write blogs about which is of interest to your customers or potential new followers? Don’t be tempted to just write posts or blogs about your company, it’s not about you, it’s all about your customers! So keep them entertained, amused or teach them something new. For example, if you are a hotel, you can post or write blogs about your new restaurant, new chef or teach your guests about the local areas.
Also, we cannot stress enough but please add images to your social media posts and blogs! Sharing images really do increase your online presence and garner a much higher level of response from followers. Do be careful and refrain from taking any images from google as they can be subject to strict copyright. One good website offering free images is www.pixabay.com but do check the terms.
It is great to write original posts for your social media page, but don’t be afraid to recycle your content on more than one occasion. This will give your readers a chance to read your post, if they missed it first time around. However, don’t repeat your posts constantly on the same day or even 1 day in a row, as this looks spammy. Also re word your post to avoid repeating the same thing over and over again.
Where?
There are so many options for you to find your customers, but do be selective so you are not spread too thinly or wasting your time posting where your customers don’t congregate anyway! Here are our list of social media options for you to consider:
Linked In
Google Plus
Youtube
Niche online forums may not offer volume of people, but the small group of members may be the right one for your business?
When?
The timing of your post is important but sadly it is not an exact science, so it is a bit of trial and error. For example, some studies suggest that it is best to post on Twitter Monday to Friday 12pm to 3pm and between 5-6pm on Wednesday. But is this true? And if all of the other businesses on Twitter are following this guideline, how will your post stand out among all the others? Maybe it is best to post outside of these hours after all, so less competition.
Regarding timing your post, it is best to consider your customers’ location and when they will be online. For example, if you are a hotel with instant 24 hour online booking and your customers are from all over the world, you really need to be posting throughout the 24 hour period to connect with your customers who could be from the UK, USA or Asia.
This is where technology really comes into its own and help you post 24 hours. You can plan and organize posts in advance and use software like Hootsuite, Buffer, Socialjukebox to send automated posts for you throughout the day. Some online experts dislike automated posts and argue that this is not true interaction with your customers. However, it is impossible for any small business to be manually posting each day and still run a successful business, so we at Kudos PA aim to be practical and personal at the same time. Nothing wrong with using technology to help! Using automated posts, actually helps the business to gain followers, and free them to be actively interacting more as well.
If you need any help with business support, researching your prospects, give us a call. Our team at Kudos PA offers virtual assistance in secretarial services, administration, marketing, blogging, research, invoicing and so much more. We love business, and want to support you to be an entrepreneur! Give us a call if you need any help or just want to chat on 07875108255.
