The WCEDA’s Small Business Guide to Social Media Marketing

The ubiquitous usage of social media has significantly changed the way local businesses operate and reach their customers. Simultaneously, the way customers behave on social media and their expectations for businesses have changed drastically over the past few years. The common myth that “social media is just for young people” is simply no longer the case. A recent Global Digital Report shows that social media usage is substantial across all age groups. 75% of adults aged 30-49 and 69% of those aged 50-64 report using social media, highlighting the broad age range of social media engagement. And it’s only projected to increase. Small businesses seeking to thrive need to nurture their social media presence and stay engaged with their customers on social channels. So what can they do to keep up, capture the attention of their customers and attract their business- all on a limited budget?

Omnichannel Presence: Get to know your customers, and digitally meet them where they already spend their time online. It’s likely that you have customers of distinct demographic groups, who use different social media channels. Make sure your business has a presence on those channels. That doesn’t necessarily mean constantly spending time and energy posting on multiple channels. It means you should at least have important business information in each of your profiles or accounts on these platforms, and (as a bonus) several pieces of content set up to highlight your business and direct customers on how to learn more when they come across your page. And remember- you can always repurpose content, messaging and visuals across different channels!

Community Management: Engage directly with your local audience through social media to build relationships and improve visibility. Participate in local discussions, respond to comments and messages, and highlight the community to foster a sense of connection. More and more customers are turning to social media as a customer service tool, to ask questions or share concerns. Be sure to respond in a timely and friendly manner, to build trust and positive opinion of your business.

Authentic Content: Share authentic, helpful content that your audience will enjoy consuming. Consumers are increasingly looking for greater transparency, ethical practices and visibility into the processes and people behind businesses. Testimonials from customers, showcasing employees, your origin story, production and processes are all types of content that will help you win in the long term. The goal is to build trust and relationships with your customers by highlighting the best of your business in an authentic way.

Information, Information, Information: User behavior on social media has shifted significantly. Not only are users looking to platforms for entertainment, they’re also using social as a search tool. Be sure your location, hours of operation, products/services offered and other important information is readily available to viewers. Give a thought to the most commonly asked questions people have, and make sure you bring those responses to the forefront in advance by proactively addressing the desired information in posts and on your profile.

Experiment & Explore: There are hundreds of free tools out there you can use to create. It doesn’t have to be cost-heavy, but don’t be afraid to invest a little time and creativity into publishing posts. Test different types of content to see what gets attention and engagement, and bring more of those elements into your strategy. Be sure to use high quality, clean imagery, and double-check for spelling or typos to keep things looking polished.

Think About Your Business Personality: You’ll want to make sure that the voice, tone and visuals of your messaging authentically represents the type of business you operate, as well as the “lingo” of your customers. Are you a roofing business focused on demonstrating the high quality of your work? Be sure your tone and imagery reflect that, with informative messaging and visuals that highlight your expertise. A cafe that brings the community together? Experiment with playful and inviting content, showcasing high resolution images of the tasty goods you offer.

In our increasingly digital world, businesses, especially those in non-urban areas, can gain a significant advantage by connecting with their potential customers online. By being present where their customers are and fostering relationships both digitally and in person, they can capture the attention and loyalty of their audience.

The WCEDA provides guidance and resources to help build thriving businesses. Visit www.thealliancemn.org or call 218-837-5950 to check out upcoming workshops on important business topics, and to learn more about our services.