The explosive growth of Social Media

Sometimes new things – or new to you – can be overwhelming. Social media and its many platforms are no different. While some of us may be ‘seasoned veterans’ to the scene, there are others who are new to this wonderful world that is social media.
As a small business owner, it is growing increasingly more important to have a social media presence because the amount of people using social media has increased exponentially in the last decade.

Here are a few tips to get you started building your social media presence.

Don’t leave the social out of Social Media.

As the journalist, Anna Lawlor, so aptly puts it: “It’s not just about using new platforms and tools for the sake of it, I think it’s important to remember how crucial the old fashioned relationship and business communications are. Relationship capital…should be at the heart of any brand’s social media activity…” find the article here.

Our world has turned into this crazy place where nearly everything is digital. Social media has nearly turned us all into anti-social people, but it does not have to be that way. Social media is a beautiful tool for building a relationship between you and your customers or clients.

The key is to be engaging with what you post – don’t just info dump. Always be encouraging user interaction when you post. You don’t want to talk ‘at’ your audience, you want to be talking ‘with’ them. Think of it is a two-way street.

Do people know who you are?

The trouble with doing business with corporate giants and big box stores is oftentimes they lack the personal touch that you find at a small business. These large businesses have their place to be sure, but as people, we all desire the feeling of importance you tend to get when you support a local small business.

This concept flows into your social media presence. It does not always have to be stats and a rigorous flow of content.

These things are not wrong, but there is something to be said for revealing a little bit more than just your business side.

Show off some humorous things that have happened at the office. Maybe take a picture of your staff together having a coffee break. Show your customers and clients that you and your staff are real people too.

Appeal to what your audience is… made up of real people.

Real people like free stuff, they like competitions, and they like being part of a community.

These things are not always possible depending on the type of business, but this is where you can get creative. Do you have something you can do a raffle for? Get your audience to like a post for a chance to win. Maybe you can get them to compete for the funniest picture to do with your product.

The key here is getting them to engage, not only with you, but with each other to enforce that sense of community. This is just a few ideas to get the ball rolling – get creative!