So many social platforms, so little time? Keep reading for five ways to quickly boost your social media presence.
by Jaimie Siegle | Advertising Systems Inc.
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Assess Your Current Profiles
Start with the basics: Is your business’s Google page up to date? What about its LinkedIn page, as well as your personal LinkedIn profile? Verify that your information (address, hours, website, phone number(s)) are consistent across all platforms, and use the same logo image for easy brand recognition.Even if you’re not active on your YouTube or X.com account, having an updated profile can help with your visibility on AI-based and traditional search engines.
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Get to Know Your Network
Choose the social networks that align with both your target demographic and your brand. For example, serviced-based businesses like landscaping or housekeeping might start with Yelp, NextDoor, Facebook and/or Instagram.From here, start to follow nearby businesses, other small businesses you work with, local organizations, community leaders, neighborhood groups, and related associations. (These are social networking tools, after all, and thus, the guidelines are similar to those for real-life networking.)
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Like, Comment, Subscribe
Once you’ve got the network part down, we move to the social part: liking posts, sharing industry-related news articles, and conveying support through words or emojis. Like a finicky houseplant, each social platform needs frequent watering and semi-regular maintenance to properly thrive.More importantly, the algorithms of social platforms reward users who contribute to their “community” with more exposure. This means that the more you interact with your network, the higher the potential for your content to be viewed and circulated.
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Celebrate (and Share!) the Little Wins
There’s nothing wrong with a humble brag in the world of social media. Received an award? Hired a new staff member? Signed a new client? Post about it! At the very least, think of your social feed as a digital timeline of your business’s growth. Whether it’s a photo slideshow of your grand opening or a recap of an event you attended, each post is an opportunity to generate leads and keep your name top-of-mind within your network.
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Casually Conduct Your Own Market Research
For local businesses in particular, using your online social community is a great way to collect valuable insights. The benefit of posing questions to your network is twofold: First, it fosters interaction and engagement, but it also yields authentic feedback and a way to build a relationship with your audience. Plus, it’s this back-and-forth engagement that really gets the algorithm going in your favor.
Doing the basic recommendations above is great in the short-term, but a successful longterm strategy requires substantial testing, tweaking, and care. The caveat is If you’re pressed for time as it is—and let’s face it, this is unfortunately the case for many small business owners—consider incorporating the social media management into your brand’s overall content marketing strategy.
