How to Use Social Media for Small Business

How to Use Social Media for Small Businesses While social media continues to grow, many businesses still wonder if their efforts through various online platforms are truly paying off. Your business can get a better gist of social media when there's something to measure against. Why watch from the sidelines when you can engage customers right away. WHO USE S SOCIAL MEDIA? 81% 74% SMALL BUSINESSES ONLINE ADULTS WHAT DOES SOCIAL MEDIA DO FOR YOU? 3-5 57% 81% SMBS GAIN NEW OF SMB SALES CONSUMERS CUSTOMERS FUNNEL RESEARCH ONLINE BEFORE PURCHASING Define Your Goals By forming and writing down achievable goals, you'll have a solid understanding of whether or not your social media efforts are paying off. SMART GOALS FOR YOUR BUSINESS Specific The more specific you can be with your objective, the easier it'll be to see what it is you need to do. Can your goal be measured? How will you track your progress and know if your goal has been achieved? Attainable Think realistically. Is the goal you've set for yourself possible to achieve? Relevant Does your goal drive your business forward? Is it the right time? Deadline Goals are empty without deadlines. Give yourself one. Targeting Your Audience Social media is one of the best ways to reach a targeted audience, but first you have to figure out who they are. Once you know your audience, you can begin to measure that data against different demographics to hone in on customers even more. AGE LOCATION INCOME EDUCATION CAREER INTERESTS Remember, the more specific you can be, the better. This will enable you to create a strong social media marketing strategy around these individuals and take a more targeted approach. Reach the right people at the right time. Choosing a Platform Once you know who you want to reach, you'll have to figure out where they are. Social networks have varied user bases. Don't invest in one network if your core audience is on another. BEFORE CHOOSING A PLATFORM, ASK YOURSELF 1. Which platforms best fits your B2B or B2C interactions? 2. How often are you publishing content? 3. What's the lifespan of your content? 4. Are you using social media for customer service? 5. Are you engaging with user-generated content? 6. Can you automate parts of your social media? Know Your Numbers SMART GOALS FOR YOUR BUSINESS There are hundreds of social media metrics that you could be analyzing, but not all of them are necessary for your business. Instead of becoming overwhelmed with options, start simple with your two major platforms. Page likes Retweets Post Reach Tweet Impressions Impressions @Mentions Engagement Followers Unlikes Tweets Linking to You To learn more or start a free 30-day trial visit: sproutsocial sproutsocial.com %24