Your Online Presence
It’s been said that 73% of consumer engagement happens off your website. Since customers can find you through so many channels, it’s imperative to manage your online presence as best you can. It’s ultimately necessary to understand how to leverage social media for small businesses.
Here’s a list of some of the most popular social media channels that customers can find you:
A study shows that 73% of brands believe that social media marketing has been “somewhat effective” or “very effective” for their business. How would you rank your social media efforts as of today? Are you leveraging social media channels to your advantage? I’m going to walk through how to build a social media strategy with 7 ways to grow your local business’ online presence.
7 Ways to Use Social Media to Grow Your Online Presence
In order to grow your online presence, your social media strategy must concentrate on a list of digital marketing focal points:
1. Your customers
The best marketing is not done by a company, but by its customers. Your customers have the power to affect your potential customers by what they say about you online. After working with customers, encourage them to post their own photos, videos, and experiences online. Make sure they tag your business.
2. Reviews
Reviews are the currency of your online presence. Focus on increasing the number of reviews you have on sites like Google, Facebook, Nextdoor, Houzz, Yelp, etc. When you respond to these reviews, you’ll prove to searchers that you’re engaged with your customers. It’s important to respond to negative reviews as well to show that you want to reconcile problems with your clients.
3. Photos
A photo is worth a thousand words so don’t skimp out on the opportunity to showcase your expertise. Take high-quality photos while at your job sites. Publish your photos on social media as well as your website Google My Business listing, and other business listings. Images are highly engaging and can help your future clients visualize and communicate what they hope to get out of the home project.
4. Videos
Video is the most engaging type of content that you can create. Record educational “How-To’s” to help your clients. Take time to demonstrate your team’s expertise and skill. Share helpful tips and let prospects know they can reach out to you for more advanced help. Weave in experiences that will help your prospects relate to you and make them feel confident in your abilities.
Creating videos doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are some tips for creating video content that resonates with others:
- You can use your iPhone, Android or tablet to record videos
- Hold your phone horizontally
- Look at the camera, not at yourself on the phone
- Consider buying a phone stand to hold your phone while filming
- Create slideshow videos using a free tool like Canva
5. Your company
There are probably a lot of companies in your local area that you compete with. You may perform the exact same services but what sets you apart from others in your local area? Highlight your differentiators by creating an About Us video that speaks to your company’s unique story. Let your customers and future customers become familiar with you and your business so that you are top of mind. When you’re recording videos, make sure you’re relatable and energetic. Be human!
6. Your employees
Get your employees involved online. Showcase special occasions and announcements so people can get a sense of who works at your company. Build meaningful relationships with your clients and others in the local area. You can even start building meaningful relationships online by responding to questions and interacting on your social media profiles.
7. Lead generation
To increase your leads, share special offers across social media. Post about exclusive opportunities that prospects can take advantage of. Turn to instant replies on Facebook to assist with your lead generation. Your customers are on Facebook at all times of the day, but you can’t be so instant replies help. Also, consider Facebook and Instagram advertising. Here’s a look at a proven strategy that can help you generate leads and achieve great results from your ad spend.
The last major tip to leverage your social media is that you can connect your platforms to your overall digital presence. Add social media links to your company’s email signature and website header and footer. Use the same logo/team photo as your profile pictures for brand consistency. Use the same business name, phone number, and other important information for accuracy across all channels. Lastly, add your @names to your service trucks and marketing collateral so prospects can find you on social media.
Grow Your Online Presence in One Place
Now that we’ve uncovered how to leverage social media for small businesses, let’s take a look at how to do this without adding more stress to your employees. Managing and growing your online presence can be a daunting task. There are so many platforms that your business can be found on. Is there a simple solution?
The Surefire Local Marketing Platform was designed to help small businesses digitize their business and manage their entire online presence through a single dashboard. It makes marketing easy by giving you the operating system you need to control your online presence from anywhere.
Here are just some of the social media marketing capabilities within the platform:
- Plan and publish your content for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more, all from one place
- View engagement metrics to determine the content that resonates the most with customers
- Set up alerts for anytime your brand gets mentioned
- Upload and share videos to spark conversations
Schedule a demo of the Surefire Local Marketing Platform to see how to leverage social media for small businesses.
