A Beginner’s Guide To Social Media Marketing For Small Businesses In 2021
With nearly 4.2 Billion Social Media users in the world, it is high time businesses start taking this medium seriously. Social media is one of the biggest forces of our times that has had a profound impact on almost all aspects of our lives.
For businesses, social media gives them a great opportunity to engage with their target audiences. It also helps them create awareness about the nature of their business and its products and services. Finally, if done right, social media can help in boosting sales, revenues and build credibility for the brand.
In this resource article, we are going to look at some critical aspects of Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses. Specifically, we will be looking at-
- Creating a Plan of Action for Small Businesses and its Social Media
- Discussing the Top Social Media Marketing Strategies
- Listing down some of the Major Challenges and Problems
How Should Small Businesses create a Social Media Plan of Action
Small businesses need to decide why they would want to start with social media solutions. In other words, creating a plan of action needs to start by fixing objectives.
Follow the SMART Model in SMM
The first thing small businesses need to do is follow the SMART model of goal setting. This will help narrow down the goals and objectives and ensure that the right strategies are being pursued with an end in mind. For example, focussing on conversion rates, rather than looking at impressions should be a measurable index that small businesses need to strive for.
Engage in Competitor Research
Every small business needs to look at what their competition is doing. This will help you see and analyze what kind of content is working and what isn’t. Take at least three of your major competitors and analyze their social media pages in great detail. Check how often they post, the media type they favor, and whether they engage in CRM or not.
Do Regular Social Media Audits
Social media is all about tracking your performance. If you are serious, you can assess the impact of each post that you create on social platforms. Doing regular social media audits will give you a window into what is working and what is not. This can then inform your future learning and strategies with regards to optimizing your social media performance.
Seek Inspiration from the Best in the Business-
Small businesses also need to look for inspiration from different businesses on social media. There is a lot that can be learned from looking at the type of content that is posted, the way the design flows, and the engaging and humorous nature of the copy. This can help point out some interesting insights that can then be adopted on the small businesses’ social pages.
Top 3 Social Media Marketing Strategies by SMM Experts
In this section, we are going to list down three of the best social media marketing strategies that small businesses need to follow in 2021-
Video Marketing on Social Media
If small businesses are looking to improve brand performance, they need to start creating and investing in video marketing. Video generates more engagement as compared to any other form of content.
In terms of reach, social media algorithms tend to boost videos more organically as compared to any other content. Small businesses looking to make the most of social media, need to look at cost-effective ways of creating videos and sharing them as much as possible.
Focus on User Generated Content
Small businesses cannot afford to work with influencers that charge a fortune. In contrast, they can depend on their trusted users to become brand ambassadors for their brands. Using UGC content is the best thing a small business can do to boost its credibility.
From using their customers and requesting them to share their experiences, to tagging them and building a community, small businesses can benefit a lot from integrating real users into their social media feeds.
Focus on New Social Platforms and Content Types
If you are familiar with the world of social media, you would be aware of how TikTok and Instagram Reels are the latest rage right now. Small businesses that cannot compete in terms of paid advertising on social need to be aware of the dynamics in this ecosystem.
For example, TikTok and Instagram Reels have great reach, engaged users, and are being boosted organically by their respective parent companies. This makes them great new platforms that small businesses can look forward to improving their digital performances.
Major Challenges that Small Business face with regards to Social Media Marketing
One of the primary challenges for small businesses is being committed to social media for a decent amount of time. For example, small businesses should not expect that they would start seeing results immediately. Social media takes time. Hence, it is best to invest in quality content creation for at least three months.
Secondly, small businesses suffer from a lack of understanding and education about social media. Business owners and marketing heads should read as much as they can on social media optimizations, strategies, and best practices. This will ensure that they at least have some basic knowledge and will not get played by an agency.
Thirdly, selecting the right Social Media Agency becomes a major challenge. Agencies tend to exploit the lack of knowledge that business owners have. They are only interested in their monthly social retainers. This is why small businesses need to do their research when selecting a social media agency for their brand.
Lastly, investing in complicated tools and software is something that small businesses look to avoid. However, given the advantages of using tools and software, small businesses must start investing in the same as soon as possible.
The Bottom Line
If a small business can perfectly formulate and execute a social media strategy, it can expect several benefits. From improved branding to higher sales and revenues, social media can take a small business to the next level. Consumers too want to buy things from a brand that has its social pages. If you have certain questions on social media that you would want us to answer, please feel free to raise them in the comments section below.
This article has been published in accordance with Socialnomics’ disclosure policy.
