by Michelle Arbore

In order for small businesses to succeed with social media, they need to have a consistent presence and accept that it is here to stay. Social media is not going away anytime soon, and it will only get better.

The first thing anyone must understand about social media is that it is about building the “know”, “like” and “trust” of followers. The idea is to let people know there is a human being behind the brand.

The other thing to understand is that people are talking about businesses, products and services on social media. Rather than ignoring these conversations, business owners should jump in and have a say in where that conversation goes. If someone complains about products and services, owners can find out why and learn from it in order to better serve current and potential customers.

Planning how to use social media to support a business is like creating a blueprint to a dream home—it should be designed to suit the homeowner’s preferences and needs. Each social media network has its own culture, best practices and purpose. We can think of each one as a different room in a dream home, each needing to be planned and designed for its specific purpose.

Here are some quick and easy strategies that can be implemented right now.

LINKEDIN • Build connections by looking at the profiles of 10 to 20 ideal customers over breakfast, lunch or in the evening. Repeat daily. • Start the conversation by adding a personal message before hitting that “connect” button, or send a “thank you” message when accepting someone’s invitation to connect. • Publish articles to further establish professional identity by sharing expertise.

FACEBOOK • Share videos to communicate a story best. According to Post Planner, there are over four billion video views per day on Facebook. • Engage with an audience by asking questions, posting lighthearted or humorous content, showing a personal side or sharing inspirational quotes. • Create a cover photo for the business page that showcases a product for sale or an event being promoted. Include a “call to action” on the photo.

INSTAGRAM • Since other people’s posts can’t be shared through Instagram, download the app Repost to get the job done. This is helpful when stuck on what to share. • Engage with followers by posting regularly and responding to comments and questions. • Include hashtags (#) to be found more easily. Use hashtags relevant to the post and type of business.

Schedule a 30-minute Discovery Session for more social media help with Michelle Arbore at SavvySocialMedia.setmore.com.

June 2017