So… you have your own social media account and you’ve probably spent your lunchbreak scrolling, liking and increasing your engagement and popularity. But how sociable is your business?

Social Media is one of the most inexpensive but powerful tools to grow your business. Teamed with an effective marketing campaign it, can provide you with a massive opportunity to expand your business. If you just ‘sighed’ at the thought of implementing social media into your business, here are 7 tips on how you can get started with quick results:

1. Inside Knowledge

No one knows your business as well as you do. But your audience/customers are not mind readers! Think about your offering, buyer persona(s) and detail what you should communicate more effectively.

2. Consistency

As the saying goes, “Consistency is Key” and for social media to be effective you have to be CONSISTENT. The easiest way is to make a plan (based on your inside knowledge) for what you want to post. Then think about how much times you can regularly and realistically post. For example, if you only have 10 minutes a day, you can schedule at least 3 posts a day using a scheduling tool such as Hootsuite.

3. Don’t Be Loyal

Loyalty is normally a good thing, but not when it comes to social media. This is because not all of your followers may be on one platform. You need to present to be seen and this means at least signing up to the 4 biggest social sites on the internet. These are:

1. Facebook – best for video and images posted throughout the day
2. Instagram – best for images and video posted early morning
3. Twitter – great for conversational messages posted as frequently as possible throughout the day
4. LinkedIn – great for industry news and building professional relationships

There is also Snapchat, YouTube and Pintrest… but we will leave those for another time!

4. Format your content

We would love to say that one post fits all, but unfortunately, it doesn’t. Therefore it is not favourable to post the same content on all of the networks. Make sure the message is the same, but the posts are a mix of memes, videos or images.

5. Spend more time on the right platform

Although you need to be present on all social media platforms, they all have different benefits depending on your business type and target audience. Find the one that works best for you (by looking at the insights and reports, not just ease of use) and invest more time in it to get the maximum benefit.

6. Remember your messaging

Unlike your personal social media, using social media for business use is focused on delivering a message, not just getting a lot of attention. Some of your posts (testimonials, press and goodwill types) may not receive a lot of likes or shares as a funny meme might, but it doesn’t deliver the message.  Try to post content that reflects your business identity and brand.  Create as much as your own content as possible to establish the base of your company.

7. Amplify your marketing efforts

We are in the ‘design and print’ business, so I’m sure it is of no surprise when we say ‘don’t forget your traditional marketing efforts’. Social media should be apart of your bigger marketing plan, especially if you can not easily segment your audience. Personalised leaflets, company brochures and a strong brand identity are all necessary for social media success.

We hope you have found these tips useful. If used the right way they can help you to grow your business at a faster pace and maximise your marketing efforts.