For some small business owners, social media is scary and their fear around it prevents them from showing up online consistently. We completely understand that feeling! There’s a lot going on in the social media space, and the desire to get it right can feel overwhelming.
What if it doesn’t have to be that complicated? It’s perfectly okay to start small with a social media strategy! You don’t need to be on every single social media platform if that’s daunting for you. You can pick just one platform and start there, although we do recommend reserving your business name on any platforms you might consider using in the future.
Here are a few steps to take when outlining your social media strategy.
Determine your platforms
What social media platforms are you familiar with? Take the knowledge you already have and research the platforms you’re interested in. Do they make sense for your business? Do you have enough time to commit to this particular social media platform? Can your targeted audience be reached on the platform? You can find demographics for each social media platform with a quick Google search to assess if it’s a good option to reach your audience.
Plan for consistent content
What type of content will you be sharing with your audience? Think photos, videos, links to resources, etc. Remember that every platform has its niche. For example, if you have a lot of photos to share, Instagram may be a great platform for your business.
Ask yourself, what topics does your audience find interesting? What’s unique about your business? Think about the types of content you can share — insider tips, helpful articles, meet the team posts, information about your services, etc. Then decide how much of each type of content you want to share each month. As you consider the mix of content, think about what will connect with your audience and highlight what makes your business special.
Block the time to do it
Once you have a plan for the type of content you’ll share, you need to make time to do it. Write some content in advance and schedule it, then add some in-the-moment content when it makes sense. The pre-scheduled content ensures consistency while the more spontaneous content adds interest and personality to your posts. On some platforms, those in-the-moment posts that you share directly from the platform reach more people than scheduled content due to the algorithms.
If you do better with batch content in advance, it’s okay to lean mostly on that and use a third-party scheduling app like SocialPilot or Loomly. If you’re more likely to show up spontaneously with posts and videos, then focus on that but make a commitment to post multiple times per week. Consistency is key!
If you struggle to find time to keep up with your marketing efforts, Storypath Communications can help. Contact us today to talk about our social media services and other marketing support for small businesses and nonprofits.