Social Media is for Your Business (Yes, Yours)
There was a time, not long ago, when social media was a bonus for businesses that wanted to do something extra. Those days are forever gone. Ignoring your need for a social media presence in today’s world is like ignoring your need for a website ten years ago. You can do it, but you’ll be left in the dust by more savvy competitors.
Marketing expert, Gary Vaynerchuk sums up the importance of social media in 2017 with this: “Social media is just the slang term for the current state of the internet.” If you’re not willing to ignore the internet, then you shouldn’t be ignoring social media.
What about ‘Boring’ Industries?
There is a common myth out there that social media only works for ‘exciting’ industries. I get where this myth came from. Any quick stroll through popular Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram business accounts will showcase lots of fashion, travel, and novel products. But where are the IT providers, plumbers, and b2b companies?
They are out there and growing by the day. But even if they aren’t – that’s even more reason to join social media. There is no excuse to not be on social media. It is the place where modern consumers go to compare companies. Ignoring social media means giving up on a large segment of your market (especially those under 40) – and no good marketing is going to recommend that!
So, what should a ‘boring’ company do to capitalize on social media? The first step is easy – be there. Then follow that up with a simple, two-step process: embrace the niche and embrace your audience. Continue reading to see how that looks in real life.
Be There
The first step is the easiest – but also the most important. The first step to a strong social media strategy is to have a social media account. Like I said – easy. Of course, setting up the account is only the first step. Once you are up and running, the real work begins. But stay calm and don’t sweat it, you’ve taken the big first step and potential customers can now find you on their favorite platform.
Showing that you are able and willing to interact with customers on a social and personal level is a big boost. Once you have your account, make sure you don’t let it die. I know posting content is hard, but keep up the hard work! I’m not asking you to go crazy, as even a weekly post or share will go a long way toward building trust. So, when it comes to posting, what should you do? The next two steps lay out a simple plan for creating and curating regular social media content.
Embrace the Niche
You might not sell high fashion clothes to supermodels – but you’re an expert at something (or else you wouldn’t be in business!). And being an expert in your niche means that you have important information to offer your customers and followers. Many businesses make the mistake of seeing social media as a sales platform – but that misunderstands the current use of social media.
Put your knowledge and expertise to use on social media. Potential customers are looking for trustworthy experts in your field – and you have the perfect opportunity to capture that market on social media. It is ok to try to promote your business on Facebook. But the promotional use must be balanced with educational content, a little bit of fun, your personality, and social interaction. It is social media after all!
Embrace your Audience
The third step in my social media plan is to embrace your audience. The temptation is always to make your social media about your business – but that won’t work, it needs to be about your audience. Just like you wouldn’t (hopefully) monopolize a personal conversation with a hard sales pitch, you shouldn’t make the social media conversation all about you.
Social media is a two-way street, a form of digital conversation. Businesses that ignore the two-way nature of social media are going to drive away their customers. So, while it is ok to push your business make sure it comes through as organic and natural. Nothing will drive away customers faster than a hard sales pitch. A good rule of thumb: as in real life, so in social media.
Social Media for Everyone
Social media isn’t just for the exciting, it isn’t just for the over-achievers, it is a necessity for every business in America. Customers are turning, more and more, to social media to determine the trustworthiness of a business – and you can’t afford to be left out. Maintaining a social media presence is a part doing business in today’s world.
Fortunately, you don’t have to go it alone. Fusion Group USA offers a wide range of social media services, from set-up to content management. If you wouldn’t dream of running your business without a website, quit running it without social media. Contact us today to see how we can help capture the growing market that turns to social media in search of businesses and services.
