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As a small business owner, you know how tough it can be to stand out in social media. The Internet is a crowded, noisy place, and there are many businesses competing for the attention of potential customers. Follow these 10 tips to stand out from the crowd and effectively engage your target audience.Build authentic connections with people
Small businesses that succeed in social media use it to build personal relationships with their followers. It might seem tedious to reach out to people and answer each and every message you receive, but building authentic connections is an essential part of your social media success. It’s called “social” media for a reason. Show your followers that you care about who they are. After all, people buy from those they know, like, and trust.
Succeeding in social media is all about putting in time and effort on a consistent, long-term basis. There’s no magic formula. You have to show up every day.
It might sound cliché, but you are one-of-a-kind and being yourself can help you stand out in social media. Catch people’s interest by sharing your unique thoughts, dreams, and opinions.
Help people and they are far more likely to remember you, share your content, and recommend your business. You can help people by introducing them to others, offering them advice and suggestions, sharing “how to” content with them, and aiming to improve their lives in some way.
The most successful brands in social media have a strong visual identity and use colors, fonts, logos, and icons that are consistent with their website and brand. This helps people recognize their style. It’s also important to use plenty of images on the social web because they attract attention and clicks.
One of the keys to maintaining a successful social media presence is being where your customers are and determining where they might be next. It’s important to work on being in the “next place”, so you can stay ahead of the curve.
Social media isn’t like a traditional advertising medium or marketing channel. You can’t expect to post only promotional messages and achieve results. It’s important to provide value to your audience while expecting nothing in return. If you go out of your way to help your followers, you will separate yourself from the majority of businesses that just use social media to post “me, me, me” messages.
While success in social media ultimately boils down to being social and connecting with followers, it’s also important to engage your audience with compelling content. You have to understand what your target audience is interested in, what they find engaging, and what they are likely to share. Types of content that typically appeal to the social media crowd include content that is emotional, funny, motivational, or shocking.
Quickly double your following in social media by offering freebies or making special offers that give people an incentive to start following you. You could even hold contests, requiring people to follow your social media accounts and share details about your contest with their network in order to enter.
10. Remember that social media is a two-way street
In social media, you can’t just talk – you have to listen, too. Don’t jump into social media and start promoting your products or services out of the blue. Listen to what’s going on first and then join the conversation. Make an effort to initiate and facilitate two-way conversations.
When it comes to social media for small business, if you build it, they will not necessarily come. You have to put yourself out there and reach out to people in order to gain an edge over your competitors. Post to social media sites daily, engage your followers, and respond to all messages personally. When people need help, lend them a hand. Nothing will make a stronger impression on your social media followers than building a consistent, friendly, and helpful presence.