Help your business become social media smart with these three tips

Social media has reached a phenomenal 4.62 billion users and counting. So, if you can advertise your business in this space, you’ll generate more sales... right? If only it were that simple.

Users may be skyrocketing, but this doesn’t make it easier. It actually means you need to think ahead. So, how do you cut through the noise and make an impact on the right people? Here are three tips to get you moving in the right direction.

#1: Success comes from planning

First and foremost, pull together a comprehensive plan of action and decide how you want to use social media. Do you want to actively sell? Maybe you want to advertise only? Or perhaps you want to get people talking about your business? Choose which approach you want to start with, then focus on doing it well.

When it comes to choosing your social media platform(s) of choice, research is key. Try to understand your ideal buyer – what are their interests? Which platforms are they most active on? That’s where you should establish a presence, so you’re right where they can see you. You can find out which channel is best for the content you want to share here. 

#2: Content is king

They say social media is like a cocktail party. If you work the room and join the right conversations, people will remember you. When we say ‘the right conversations’, this means being in tune with what’s trending in your community and creating content around it.  

You’ll also need to make sure your content is fit for purpose for your chosen social media platform(s). This means making sure pictures and videos are the right dimensions for each platform, the accompanying copy is a good length, and you use relevant hashtags to reach more people. Following each channel’s guidelines will help make sure it’s the best it can be; discover an always up-to-date guide on sizing best practice here.

And remember, 46% of users browse on their phone, so it’s got to look good on a phone screen. There are some handy free tools like Canva.com and Pablo, where you can quickly and easily create branded content, make it mobile-friendly, re-size it and more. 

#3: Observe, analyse, tweak or repeat

This is where you review what’s working and what isn’t. Ask yourself:

Is there a day/time when your audience is most active online? If so, try posting your next piece of content at that same time/day.

Is there a type of post that they consistently engage with? Or one that gets little or no engagement? It might be time to rethink your approach.

Is one channel or post thriving in particular? Maybe you could ride the momentum and put some paid spend behind it. This means spending a little money (anything from £5 to £5,000) to make sure a popular post is seen by more people.

As well as looking at likes, comments and shares, you can pull analytics reports through each channel’s free analytics tool. For example, this one for Facebook: https://buffer.com/library/facebook-insights/ Plus, you can make the most of a whole suite of tools available on the market to suit reporting needs. Once you have your findings, just make sure to keep tweaking your approach if you spot that something isn’t working and repeating the process until you get the results you want. Find out how to get started on Facebook here. 

Good things take time

Getting the most out of social media isn't black and white. Just like moving abroad, when getting to grips with different social media platforms, you’ve got to learn the culture, norms and familiarise yourself with the new space. Then, after a little while, it becomes second nature. The key is planning, optimising and measuring, so you’re always improving and not repeating mistakes.  

And finally, don’t forget to have fun with it! It’s a social space after all, so there’s lots of room for creative, more casual interaction with current and potential customers.

Ready to explore more of what social media has to offer? Read our guide to whether TikTok is right for your business.