Social media is considered to be one of the most powerful mass media tools in existence, yet many entrepreneurs and business leaders focusing on their local market fail to recognize the enormous potential of social media for their small business. The truth is that, quite simply, social media can put any business on the proverbial map and in front of their demographic, regardless of size and type, so naturally it would be a terrible waste if your brand didn’t try to exploit this wealthy pool of opportunities.
However, simply being on social media is not enough to propel your brand forward or make you stand out in the local arena, as there needs to be a sound strategy in place with clearly defined tactics and goals that will help you grow your business efficiently and effectively. With that in mind, here are the five ways your local business can dominate social media.
Discover the most relevant SM platforms
First things first, it’s important to understand that not all social media platforms were created equal, and that some serve particular businesses better than others. That said, you do want your brand to be present on all SM platforms simply to cast a bigger net and catch more fish, but you also want to focus on certain types of social media than others.
For instance, B2B companies do want to be on Facebook, but they will almost certainly find more luck in the LinkedIn or Google+ arenas. Conversely, companies catering to individual customers might find that long-term success in the online universe awaits on mass social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. It will be up to your marketing team to discover the most relevant platforms for your particular business, and shift content accordingly.
Develop a killer content marketing strategy
Speaking of content, in the online universe, it truly does reign supreme. Every growth-oriented company looking to reach new audiences and expand their business should have a strong content marketing strategy in place in order to spread the word of the brand, engage the audience in a meaningful way, and improve its standing in the industry.
This is particularly useful for a local business, as you have a golden opportunity here to make a big boom in a small marketplace. By writing amazing blog posts (optimized for local SEO), creating infographics, videos and other visual content, podcasts, and more, you can reach everyone in the local market effectively and efficiently. And that’s without having to invest for PPC Advertising.
Stay in the know at all times
One of the most important elements of a winning social media presence is knowledge. In the business world as well as in every other aspect of life, knowledge is power, and by focusing on comprehensive social media monitoring, you can obtain the necessary information to adapt your SM strategy and propel your brand forward. Keep in mind that you need to monitor the ever-changing trends at all times in order to stay ahead of the game.
By tracking your essential KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and monitoring the effectiveness of your social media efforts, you can easily change your strategy on a moment’s notice, and focus on the key areas where you need improving. These areas can be anything from your tone of voice and visuals, to posting times and frequency.
Use social media to promote local events
If you’re catering to a local market, you have a unique advantage over global brands without a permanent address – you can engage with your audience in person. What’s more, social media can be an excellent tool to promote your events and drive people into your physical store or office, in turn spreading the word of your brand as a whole.
The possibilities here are endless, and you can organize everything from a local meetup, to giveaways, shopping nights, and everything in between, but the most important part is that you spread the word across all of your social media accounts. Just imagine the turnout you can generate by simply posting an interesting promotional photo on every one of your social media feeds, detailing the time and place of the event.
Incentivize your in-store customers to follow you online
Lastly, an excellent way to build your social media following is to observe the SM game from a different perspective. Instead of focusing on reaching an online audience, focus on incentivizing your in-store customers to join your brand online.
Of course, to achieve this, you will have to build a great value proposition for the customer to actually want to like and share your page on social media. This can be anything from discounts to promotions, bundles, and special follower deals. Keep in mind that a winning value proposition should aim to resolve a major issue for your customers.
In conclusion
Social media is for everyone, especially for businesses with grand goals and dreams for the future. This is true for global enterprises as well as local brands, so make sure you exploit the endless possibilities of social media using these proven tactics, and you will have no problem growing your brand and becoming the leader in the local market.
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