Social media marketing for small businesses

Why your small business needs social media marketing, how to get started and how to use it well

Like any business owner, finding low-cost ways to effectively market your business to attract customers is a high priority. You can do that every day by using the unlimited potential of social media. The benefits this could have for your business are enormous: social media is a globally used tool that can improve your business’ exposure to your target clientele. 

How do I identify my target audience?

The first step of using social media is to establish who you’re talking to. In order to identify your target audience, look at who would be the main consumers of your product or service. Your target audience should also include prospects you’re hoping to convert to consumers. 

Which social media marketing platforms should my small business be using?

Once you’ve identified your target audience, start drafting a social media strategy as an effective way to keep yourself organized and decide which platforms to join. Your strategy should include what you are looking to accomplish with your social content and how it can help promote your business to your target audience. Currently, the top four platforms you should consider are: 

• Facebook: promote your product or services while creating awareness of your business.
• Twitter: stay in the loop with industry trends and news that’s applicable to your industry
• LinkedIn: communicate with other businesses and industry professionals, keep up with changing trends, and attract quality job applicants.
• Instagram: image-based and consumer-focused, can be used to showcase products or services and create awareness of your brand.

How do I even get started?

Use these helpful links to create business accounts to get started: 

• Create a Facebook business page 
• Create a Twitter business account 
• Create a LinkedIn business page
• Create an Instagram business account 

When creating your accounts, remember to include all the vital information someone would want to know about your business: address, phone number, website, operating hours, and a short blurb about who you are and what you sell or what services you provide.

Choosing the right cover and profile photo is crucial, as well. Your profile photo should be your business’ logo and your cover image should be something that conveys what product or service you provide.

Avoid using text in your cover image, as it might get squeezed or cut off when viewed on mobile devices. Once you have uploaded these images, make sure to check that they look good on mobile as well. Once you complete building your page, start promoting it within your professional and personal circles and building your following. 

How can I capture users’ attention?

Social media is very image-heavy, but each platform has different requirements for those images. Make sure you check the current image dimensions for each platform before posting any graphics. 

Keep your brand’s strategy and tone in mind when creating imagery for social media – it’s important to be authentic and professional. 

I’m busy running the business! How can I create an effective social media strategy without spending too much time? 

Don’t worry: it’s not as time-consuming as you think. If you initially put in the effort to shop around and pick the right tool, it could end up saving you a lot of time. You can easily manage accounts with a variety of scheduling tools to choose from. Here are a few options to consider: 

• Buffer 
• Hootsuite
• Sprout Social 
• HubSpot

These tools enable you to schedule and monitor posts, respond to comments and messages, and maintain your social media strategy. Take the time to plan out promotional and informative posts and schedule all your social media content for the week, or even the whole month! Let the scheduling tool do the work for you so you can focus on running your business.
 
Make sure to download the social media apps and scheduling tool to your phone and/or tablet so you can keep up to date and respond to any inquiries or comments from your followers quickly.

Social media can be a key factor in the success of your business, if you’re willing to take the time to create and maintain an online presence. Follow CFIB on our social platforms and feel free to reach out to us directly for any social media inquiries you have. 

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