Navigating Social Media as a business owner can sometimes feel like a daunting dask. You know that Social Media can be used as a powerful marketing tool; but between Twitter, Facebook posts, Foursquare check-ins, and YouTube videos, it can be difficult to determine where to begin. If you feel lost inside the overwhelming world of Social Media, take a look at these tips to help you navigate your way.

 

1) Determine your Social Media Match

When embarking on this social media journey, you might be tempted to create an account for each social media site available. But before you spread your time and money across multiple Social Media avenues, there are quite a few things to consider. Research each avenue you’re interested in to determine where your audience is located. Each Social Media site offers something unique and it’s important to decide which is most relevant to you. For example Pinterest is a great tool for B2C companies whose target customers are women, but it may not be a good fit for a B2B company.  Once you’ve thought about why you’d like to use Social Media, who you are targeting, and where they are already interacting, you can begin to narrow down your options.

 

2) Develop your Voice

Social Media is an excellent way to show the voice and personality of your brand, allowing customers to develop trust and faith in your company. It’s important to develop a voice that is consistent with your product and message. Think about the culture of your business and what you represent and allow this to be portrayed in your Social Media posts. For example if you are a B2C company who appeals to a young audience, you might develop posts that are light hearted or humorous. Once you’ve developed this voice keep it consistent across all of your Social Media accounts.

 

3) Create Valuable Content

Use Social Media as an avenue to create conversation rather than bombarding customers with ‘Buy my product’ messages. Provide your audience with information that they will find value in. Let’s say you own a small coffee shop where your customers spend time reading & working. You might try posting a latte recipe, a book suggestion, or an interesting article related to your industry. Or perhaps you own a dog-walking business. You might try posting how-to videos on dog training, or tips on selecting the right dog food. By establishing a place where followers can depend on you for credible news and messages, you will create a relationship that keeps them coming to you as the expert source in your industry.

 

4) Practice Makes Perfect

As with any new marketing strategy, it’s possible that you’ll encounter some mishaps. Allow these mistakes to happen and learn from them. If one message appears to have no effect, reevaluate that message and research new tactics. Your next post will surely be better. Create quality content, remain consistent, and interact with your audience, and you will soon reap the benefits of your Social Media campaign.