Social Media Marketing for
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Social Media Marketing for
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
“I feel like my business is too small to make an actual impact online.”
“We know our customers, and they know where to find us.”
There is a popular misconception among small and medium-sized business owners that social media can’t help them. The problem with that belief is that it’s short-sighted.
Sure, it might be great to have an established customer base. But, what’s the guarantee they are here to stay? If and when they leave, how do you acquire new customers?
Gone are the days when billboards and advertising ruled the roost. Now, word of mouth marketing reigns supreme again, albeit in the form of social media marketing.
In a business environment that has already made the transition to digital and outbound marketing, social media marketing is a natural by-product.
And, you would be sorry not to make the most of it.
Regardless of the size of your business, effective social media marketing can work wonders for it.
Advantages of Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing brings plenty of benefits to the table. Some of them include:
Increased Lead Generation:
Social media is a convenient avenue for customers to express their interest in your product without actually committing to purchase it. If you offer a good enough incentive, they’ll be happy to sign up.
For example, Facebook’s ads are designed to generate more leads. They enable you to take action with just a couple of taps. Take a look at the ad below for instance-
By making it so easy to book a test drive, Renault UK found that these ads cost 7.9 times lesser per lead.
Increased Brand Awareness:
A staggering 3.48 billion people are on social media. That’s nearly half the world’s population.
If you’re a small business owner, you could potentially reach several thousands of users, of which, some will definitely be interested in your product.
Personalized Customer Relationships:
Social media provides an opportunity for leads to contact you directly. It also helps you get a thorough understanding of their viewpoints and needs. If they’re happy with your services, you can be sure you’ll hear about it – through their own social media profiles!
Social media can
revolutionize your startup.
How to Use Social Media Marketing
Now that you know why; learn how! It can be challenging to build an audience from scratch, and a while before you start seeing results.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.
Here’s how you can use social media marketing for either a small or medium-sized business.
Have a clearly defined plan:
In terms of planning, social media marketing for a small business is no different from a large one. To plan well, you need to:
Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely)
Know your competitors, their products, and their audience thoroughly
Create a calendar to post content that is in tune with your audience’s expectation
Post content that combines educative information with tasteful advertising
Choose the right platform:
There are hundreds of social media platforms and knowing which one to use can be tricky. Based on the nature of your content, platforms can be:
Social review websites: Yelp, Four Square
Choose the best platform for your business based on your needs and audience’ requirements.
Engage with your audience:
Engagement goes far beyond replying to messages and comments on your page. Here are some ways to boost engagement on your page:
Encourage user-generated content: This increases exposure, strengthens relationships and helps bring in new customers.
Partner with influencers:
Influencers share healthy engagement levels with their followers, and those endorsing your product can open the doors to a whole new base of customers.
Organize competitions:
Host online contests where the winner gets your product for free. They will be glad to talk about that experience, and happier to endorse your business.
Take the help of automation:
With the help of marketing automation and CRM software, you can take your social media marketing game to the next level. Utilize tools such as HootSuite to:
Boost your highest performing content
Schedule posts in advance
Respond to messages on time
Manage your advertising
Conclusion
Social media marketing is for everyone! Even the basis of all B2B interactions can only be made possible when people interact with one another.
And social media gives you just the perfect excuse for that!
It’s now easier than ever for marketers to find and target their audience. Add to the mix what a satisfied customer’s praise is worth on social media. As long as you make all the right moves, your business will succeed.
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Joseph Cruz
Author
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