So, you’re a small business and you are wanting to launch some marketing initiatives. With all the hype around social media and its cost effectiveness you decide that is the route you want to take. So, what now? How do you truly become successful and garner a loyal following on these platforms? Have no fear! We are here to help!

The first word of advice we would give would be to stick with it! It is going to take time and some serious research to really see what makes your audience tick. Some critical things to look out for and to test for would be: what type of content amasses the most engagement? What time of day are you gaining a lot of traffic? What days of the week is your audience most responsive? By asking these questions, you will learn how to refine your audience. These aspects are ever changing though, so constant tweaks will keep you on top of your followers.

The second tip we would offer is for you to understand that social media marketing isn’t free. While you can post content organically, your reach will be far greater and tailored to those who are/may be interested in your business if you sponsor the content. For example, Facebook allows you to create paid ads with settings that you can tailor so that your ad gets in front of the eyes of those who would care most about your business’ offerings. You can customize everything from geographical area, to interests and so much more. This type of targeting is very helpful to finding and shaping your audience. Don’t worry though, you won’t have to break the bank on these ads. Cost-per-click acquisitions are very affordable.

If investing in your social media marketing budget isn’t your thing, you better make great, or even better than great, content. This brings us to our third tip. Paid or organic, you need to be able to create content that resonates with your following enough to make them engage with your brand. While paying for ads makes this easier, it doesn’t mean you can’t do this with $0. In fact, it is probably a good idea to start organically with posts to see what content is engaging and worth spending the extra money on next time. Each platform has a wide range of different media options for posts. It is said, and almost always holds true, that those posts with images attract more interaction than just a text posting. Even further, with all the video and live video options at our fingertips now, this type of content seems to be very successful in social media marketing. Again, it’s going to take time to see what your audience responds to the most, so stick with it and do your research to create amazing content.

There is no one guideline to follow for social media marketing. It can be very different for each business. You can’t rely on simply doing what everyone else is doing. Research your target audience and your competitors to see how your social media pages can offer a competitive advantage for you and your small business.