So, you want to get started with social media marketing but have no idea where to begin? You aren’t alone. Most businesses set up their profiles on popular social networks, take a good, long look at their 0 followers, and decide that their time will be better spent on other marketing efforts. They aren’t wrong, either. In the beginning, there will be very little return for your social media marketing efforts. You will build a following slowly. Those that have the drive to be consistent and thoughtful in their updates have the best chance at long-term success on all social media platforms. Learning how to build your brand on social media takes time, testing, and an open mind.
Start Slow, but Consistency is Key
When you are first dipping your toes into social media marketing, you need to make sure that you develop a firm grasp of every platform. What might be prime content to share with your followers on Twitter isn’t necessarily appropriate for LinkedIn. By studying successful social media accounts in your industry you can gain insight into the types of content that produce results and how often you sould be posting. Don’t be afraid to start slow. Don’t expect results right away, but there is a lot of value in becoming familiar with your audience and their platform of choice.
Find Out Where Your Audience Spends Their Time
Before you can really begin enjoying the results of a consistent social media presence, you have to know where you should be spending your energy. Every industry’s audiences have their own preferred social media websites. For instance, a company that offers B2B products might find that their time is best spent on LinkedIn, while a B2C women’s clothing store should focus their efforts on Instagram and Pinterest. The more thought that you put into which platforms you want to target, the better your long-term results will be.
Don’t Just Promote Yourself – Share Great Content
People don’t like to interact with social media profiles that are clearly only in existence to promote themselves. They want to interact with real people who have real personalities. They also want content that is good, period. So don’t be afraid to share an insightful blog post from a competitor or partnered company in your industry, as long as it is relevant to your audience. The goal should be to share great content with your audience, not just to promote yourself. By focusing on those tips, you will be more likely to build a personal connection with your audiences.
Automate and Schedule a Portion of Your Updates
Although many social media experts warn against the harm of an automated social media account, there are always going to be some updates that can be automated. Regularly sharing your content, self-promotion and the sharing of interesting articles can often be schedules days in advance of the actual update. If you don’t have a ton of time to dedicate to growing your social media, it makes sense that you spend your time that you are actually logged in focused on building genuine relationships and interacting with your audience.
Interaction is the Foundation of Success on Social Media
Interaction is absolutely imperative for success on social media. No one is going to inspire people to follow them by only posting updates about their product. Instead, try to reach out and build a genuine connection with your desired audience. Learn about them. Ask them questions, and answer theirs. A solid social media marketing strategy starts and ends with your ability to establish real connections with your followers and build relationships. When they feel like they are speaking with a real person, you are much more likely to establish that connection.
To learn more about how to start branding your business on social media, give us a call or send us a note today at Small Dog Creative 661-702-1310!
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