Building this strategy can often feel daunting with so many moving pieces. This is especially true if you’re new to the space and/or have limited resources. We get it. That’s why we put together this guide breaking down the basics of social media for business to help you get started.

Setting your social media goals

Start with the big picture before getting granular. Think about your business’ holistic marketing strategy and how social media fits in. Ask yourself:

• Why does your business need a social presence?
  – Do you need to drive awareness? Grow sales? Support a specific product/service launch? All of the above?

• What business goals are you trying to accomplish? For example:
  – Support your current marketing strategy or relaunch your marketing strategy
  – Expanding into new markets
  – Grow your portfolio
  – Attract new talent to your business

• What resources do you need to make those results a reality?
  – Budget
  – Internal or External resources to manage your social channels

Know your audience.

‍One of the key factors in any social media strategy is understanding your target audience to create relevant content that resonates. This will also help you identify who are most likely to buy your products or services.

• Who are they?
  – Demographics (gender, age, income level, location)

• What are their interests and preferences?
  – What kind of information are they looking for and why? Where do they go for this information/what social platforms do they use for this?
  – What do they talk about on these platforms?
  – Who do they trust?

• What types of content do they want to see?
  – Do they prefer video content? Static content? Text-based content?
  – What’s the purpose of the content they enjoy? (Education, entertainment, etc…)
  – What types of trends do they resonate with the most?

Knowing this information will give you a head start for any future Paid Social initiatives.

Tie your social media goals to metrics and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). From engagement to traffic and beyond, there’s plenty to track. Determine how these KPIs relate to your business goals, for example:

• Reach – Unique accounts are seeing your content, spreading awareness.
• Engagement – People interacting with your content beyond just a view and building community.
• Click Through Rate – Taking action off of the social platform (usually to your website).

Create a social media strategy

Once you have your goals squared away, it’s time to build a plan. Without a strategy, your social presence can quickly become a time-sink. But mapping your social media marketing strategy doesn’t have to be daunting. To keep your focus and avoid getting overwhelmed, here’s what we suggest you focus on:

• Be on platforms that add value to your audiences.
• Create easy-to-understand, engaging content.
• Identify business opportunities through social: Engage with potential customers and other accounts!
• Track, improve, and optimize your efforts based on what is working.

Follow these 5 social media tips for businesses:

1. Build a human, people-first social presence
   Injecting personality into your posts is a low-hanging way to relate to your audience. Beyond that, personalizing your replies to people shows that you’re there to help them.
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2. Look at your social presence as a resource (not just a promotional channel)
   Imagine that your social accounts are your first touchpoint with a potential customer. Sharing resources makes a better first impression than screaming “BUY NOW!”
   
   – Create actionable, educational content (think: how-to’s, tutorial videos, etc.).
   – Answer questions and sharing advice with your audience.
   – Share business updates and keeping customers in the loop.
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3. Show up consistently
   This applies to both publishing content and engaging with customers. Conventional wisdom says that social media algorithms reward consistency. Making a conscious effort to reply to questions and comments is crucial: keep a close eye on your tags and social notifications.
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4. Be prepared to experiment with different types of content
   Different industries and types of businesses thrive on different types of content. Always strive to create content that is relevant, and valuable to your audience. Remember, the goal is not to constantly sell but to build relationships. Use a mix of educational, inspirational, entertaining, and promotional content to keep your audience interested and engaged. From short-form videos to stories, you have plenty of options. That said, don’t make assumptions when it comes to what performs best. Test, learn, and let your own analytics and engagement guide your content strategy.
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5. Collaborate with your peers in the space
   You can leverage accounts who are already established by networking and collaborating with them. Research influencers in your area, and see how other businesses around you are participating in your local community to show off their products and services.

So, next steps.

Here are a few actionable tips for Instagram, one of the most widely used social platforms once you have completed the actions above.

Profile

• Use a profile photo that is scalable.
• Include a description that accurately represents your business.
• Do not repeat your handle in your bio.
• Limit the number of links on your bio and use link aggregate tools to link to three or more links (ex. linkTree).
• Your profile should also work as a customer service hub and provide good resources for your audience to get help when they need it.
• Content
• Check your content analytics consistently.
• Include a Call To Action (CTA) to your posts.
• Pin your most valuable posts to ensure your best posts are shown first.
• Add Story Highlights to your profile for information that you always want to be readily available.
• Research to find the most relevant hashtags for your business. Niche hashtags will make you more discoverable. Make sure you use camel case to make them easier to read and more accessible (#BusinessTips101).

When creating post copy:

• Lead with the most important information.
• Use a consistent and personal tone.
• Keep copy short and to the point.
• Encourage action with simple, direct text.

Encourage comments:

• Ask them to!
• Be relatable.
• Reply with Q's⁠.
• Promote sharing.

Growth

• Repurpose your top-performing posts as much as possible. Find new angles to tell a story using what worked for you in the past.
• Stay informed about platform changes, trends, and best practices.
• Be social: Connect with accounts that bring value to your business and interact with their content.

Let's go!

For any business today, an active social presence is an essential growth driver and a valuable customer engagement tool. With well-defined goals and the right mindset, you can turn social media into a real game-changer for your business. Remember, creating a robust social presence isn't a race, but a steady effort. We hope this guide has equipped you with the essential insights to kickstart your social media marketing journey!