Updated 5/6/2021 “Is that small business open? They aren’t very active on social media, but we should support them. Let’s take a picture! Oh, tag me in that post! Can I see that? I’ll share it!”
Having a presence online is just about as important as breathing if you are running a business. Everyone is online now, whether it’s Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. Especially during the pandemic, social media has been vital to see how companies have been affected, and hopefully, if they have found a way to keep the doors open.
We are here to share some tips to help make your social media profile for your small business marketable and to transform your followers into customers!
6 Tips to Improve Your Social Media
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- Connect with local businesses! Reach out to other small businesses near you to create a relationship with them on social media. You can share each other’s posts on your profiles and maybe you can even work together in some way! A great example of this is @SocialBySinead on Instagram. Social By Sinead is a Boston based company that helps businesses expand their presence online and work on their brand! Sinead offers lots of advice about how to get your social media accounts shining for your small business. Just take a look at her website and Instagram profile as a perfect example!
- Social Media Videos. Whenever a platform puts out a new feature, USE IT. Instagram’s algorithm, for example, favors reels right now and you can get hundreds or thousands of views just by posting one! Videos can help you reach a larger audience, especially if you are using the proper hashtags and gain shares from other accounts. Reels aren’t just about dancing and music. For instance, you can cater your videos toward your target audience or brand. You can make ‘Meet The Team’ or ‘Step-By-Step’ productions or even share some business tips. You can even create a video that depicts your day and shows your audience the inner workings of your small business.
- Design a Social Media Plan! Whether that’s creating a posting schedule or cultivating a goal for what you want your social media to be, it’s all beneficial. Take a look at other accounts that you like and take note of what they post about, when, and how much they post. Research the competition and find out what is working for another small business that may work for you on your social media. After that, you can create a spreadsheet of ideas and formulas that will help guide you to success.
- Social Media Stories. Stories are the first thing that users will see because it is at the top of the page. It can be a scrolling nightmare or you can use this opportunity to grab users attention. Utilize Canva for entertaining graphics and colorful imagery (and it’s FREE!). Share positive reviews you have received or anything interesting you have going on during the day! Check out how we used Canva during the holiday season below!
- Consistency is Key! Posts on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram need to have some consistency. For example, you’ll want to set a goal of posting a story every day or a couple of times a week if you can. For posts, you should post some high-quality photos to your page that accurately reflect who you are and represent your small business. It’s all about teamwork. Your followers are supporting you and you are supporting them with the outreach and the content. In terms of followers, it’s all about quality over quantity. You could get thousands of followers, but only 12 actual supporters. Focus on the followers who support your business and create your community that way.followers to turn into customers and social media gives us that opportunity, especially for small businesses.
- Have FUN! In conclusion, social media should be about having fun and being creative. That doesn’t stop with your small business. It’s a different muscle to use when you are first starting out, but once you get the hang of it it’ll be a lot of fun. Tune into webinars, reach out to social media influencers for tips and research ways that you can stand out with your profile! After all, we all want for our followers to turn into customers and social media gives us that opportunity, especially for small businesses.
Boston Offices offers the perfect space for your growing company, no matter its size or needs. Don’t need a full-time office space? No problem! Work in a lounge or day office, take meetings in our conference rooms, or make the perfect pitch in a boardroom at any one of our prestigious Downtown Boston locations. Simply visit www.bostonoffices.com or email sales@bostonoffices.com.
-Aisling Sheahan