Are you looking for a comprehensive understanding of what social media marketing is? Or perhaps you already know the basics, but are looking for strategies to effectively utilize SMM for small businesses? Irrespective of the reasons, you’ve landed on the right blog.

In this blog, you would learn how to get your business to reach its full potential using SMM services.

Learn how to use these techniques strategically and effectively, or hire SMM professionals from Syndell to get started with SMM services right away. Get ready to see your business reach its full potential with social media marketing!

Read Also: Effective Ways to Drive Sales with Social Media

What is Social Media Marketing and why do it?

Social media marketing is nothing but a digital marketing technique that uses social media platforms to promote a brand, product, or service. With everyone young and old on social media these days, it’s highly profitable for businesses to hop on and start utilizing these platforms to grow.

Did you know that 91% of retail brands use at least two social media platforms for their online marketing strategy? That’s a lot of social media action! And the best part is that it’s not even that heavy on your pockets. 

By creating and sharing engaging content, businesses can build brand awareness, stimulate discovery, and find new leads and customers. It can also be used for influencer marketing, building hype for upcoming events, and collecting reviews.

Another advantage of social media marketing is the ability to enhance brand reputation and power in the market. By creating valuable and helpful content, businesses can even build brand loyalty and trust with their audience.

The list of benefits goes endless when it comes to implementing SMM services. Now if you are already on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Youtube, you can start using these platforms using the right strategies to achieve your marketing goals and build a strong presence in the market. Best of Luck in your journey!

Read Also: How to develop an effective Social Media Strategy for your Business?

Why should we use Social Media for Small Businesses?

We just discussed some of the benefits that SMM has to provide businesses but should small businesses too use it?

Well to answer that, we’ll first dig into some statistics because why not!

Impressed by these numbers, well to compete, you would need to get online, and to do so get started from today itself.

Read Also: Support Your Local Business Growth With Social Media Marketing

Which platforms to choose for Small Businesses?

As you surf for which are the best social media platforms for business, never land on assumptions on your own. Research various aspects like who your target audience is, and where they spend their time. Let’s discuss all the best social media platforms for marketing in detail.

1. Facebook 

One of the best advertising powerhouses, Facebook continues to be the most used social media platform globally. Almost 93% of marketers use this platform after which comes Instagram with 78%.

As of January 2023, the number of Facebook users in the world (monthly active users) is 2.963 billion. Around 56.6% of Facebook users are male and 43.4% are female. 70% of American adults use Facebook for about 33 minutes per day and almost a quarter of Facebook users in the US are between the ages of 25-34.

Benefits of using Facebook for Business

• Facebook is best for all age groups, genders, and interests.
• It is versatile. On a single platform, you can set up an e-commerce store, execute advertising campaigns across Meta products, and create a Facebook profile.
• It can serve as a one-stop shop. Facebook can provide a complete customer service experience, from first contact to final sale.

Questions to consider before using Facebook for small businesses

• Who is your target audience? 

The most engaged Facebook audience range between the ages of 18 and 44. So if your target audience is older than this, you might want to consider another platform.

• What are your business goals? 

Your goals for facebook can range from increasing brand visibility through a Facebook Page to selling products through Shops or Facebook ad campaigns. Knowing your objectives will help you decide whether Facebook is the right platform choice for your company.

• How much time can you commit? 

According to research, posting 1-2 times per day is the most ideal way to get desired results on Facebook. If you can’t devote this much time to this platform then you might as well reconsider your resourcing strategy.

2. Instagram

Instagram is a platform that allows you to have niche-specific targeting and is one of the most popular platforms among younger users aged 18-34. It has surpassed 2 billion users and is the king of social selling with the highest ROI for selling products. 

Instagram reels consume 30% of people’s Instagram time. Instagram’s engagement rates are four times higher than Facebook but have been decreasing. In 2023, 29% of marketers have planned to invest more in Instagram than in any other platform. So you might consider this as your platform.

Benefits of using Instagram for Business

• Instagram provides in-app shopping, allowing users to easily purchase products seen in posts, Reels, and Stories. 
• As a visual platform, it is particularly suitable for businesses in the fashion, beauty, travel, and food industries. 
• Instagram users are highly engaged, with the average user spending 11 hours per month on the app.

Questions to consider before using Instagram for small businesses

• Does my brand present well visually?  

As Instagram is a visual platform, your posts must be visually appealing to grab users’ attention.

• Do I have the time to create content? 

Instagram may not be the best platform for your business if you don’t have the time or resources to create high-quality content.

• How much time can you commit? 

Instagram, like any other social media platform, requires consistency. Instagram should be updated 3-7 times per week.

3. Twitter

Twitter is a popular platform with over 556 million active users of which 16-64 aged users use it for brand research and 54% use it for shopping. It is the hub of political discussions and memes and a prime place for interacting with brands. 

Despite being the 9th most visited website globally, US users spend about 34.8 minutes on Twitter every day. The rise of features like Twitter space has made it a platform to regain popularity.

Benefits of using Twitter for Business

• Twitter is a conversational platform that allows engagement between businesses and customers or among businesses. 
• It is a real-time source for breaking news, which makes it popular among news organizations and journalists. 
• Twitter is also hashtag-friendly, providing users with a way to discover more content related to specific topics.

Questions to consider before using Twitter for small businesses

• Is your target audience on Twitter?

Twitter is a great platform if you want to build relationships with your users, but it may not be worth your time if your customers aren’t even active on the platform.

• What kind of content will you share?

Twitter is a good platform when it comes to sharing quick news and updates, but if you’re someone posting images or longer-form content, then perhaps you might choose some other platform.

• How much time can you commit? 

We recommend tweeting one to five times per day. If you don’t believe you can live upto that commitment, Twitter may not be the best platform for your small business.

Read Also: How To Research Keywords For Social Media Marketing

4. TikTok

TikTok has completely transformed itself to become one of the must-have social platforms not just for Gen Z but for other well-established brands too. Around 56% of marketers are using tiktok for influencer marketing making it the most popular influencer marketing channel. It has over 1 billion active users worldwide, with average monthly usage of 23.5 hours. 54.1% of the users are identified as females on this platform and 38.9% of TikTok users are aged 18-24 users.

So why wait? Have your hands on this platform to have rapid growth.

Benefits of using TikTok for Business

• On TikTok, producing high-quality content doesn’t require fortune, making it a level playing field. 
• Success on this platform depends on your creativity and thinking outside the box, so creative minds wins here. 
• There’s a significant opportunity for getting viral, as good content has the potential to be seen by millions of people on this platform.

Questions to consider before using TikTok for small businesses

• Who is your target audience? 

Keep in mind that TikTok’s audience tends to be between the ages of 18 and 24. TikTok is definitely worth considering if you’re marketing to Gen Z or young millennials.

• Do you have creative ideas for videos?

If you’re not sure what kind of content would work well on TikTok, you can browse the app to get ideas.

• How much time can you commit? 

While you don’t need an entire production team, creating TikTok videos and posting them consistently takes up time.

5. Pinterest

Pinterest with 450 million people using it every single month has grown from a creative catalog platform to a most powerful visual search engine. People now browse it not just for getting ideas and saving it for future use but also for purchasing decisions. 

76.7% of users are identified to be women on this platform whereas 45% of households earn over $100K from Pinterest. It’s one of the second most visited website in the US and if you are targeting a US audience then Pinterest is worth including in your marketing efforts.

Benefits of using Pinterest for Business

• Pinterest is a positive platform that makes 8 out of 10 users feel good, which can improve your brand’s image and reputation. 
• It is a highly visual platform, and since 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, it is an excellent place to share attractive visuals of your products or services. 
• Additionally, because Pinterest is a visual search engine, you can potentially reach new audiences who are actively searching for products or services like yours.

Questions to consider before using Pinterest for small businesses

• Who is your target audience? 

Women aged 25 to 34 account for 29.1% of the Pinterest ad audience, while men account for only 15.3%. So choose your audience carefully.

• Do you have visual content to use Pinterest?

As previously stated, Pinterest is a highly visual platform. You’ll need to use high-quality images to make your pins stand out.

• Do you have products to sell on Pinterest?

75% of weekly Pinterest users say they are always shopping, so make sure you have something to offer this demographic.

6. YouTube

YouTube, the world’s most popular video-sharing social network has over 2.5 billion users worldwide. It’s the best platform for promoting your products and services. 

YouTube Shorts have at least 30 billion views daily from users around the globe. 12% of male YouTube users and 9% of female users are identified as aged between 25-34. People spend an average of 19 minutes per day on this platform.

Nearly 90% of all the total visits on youtube come from mobile devices so marketers would benefit from posting more short-form, vertical content on the platform.

Benefits of using YouTube fo Business

• You can increase traffic to your website by including a link to your site in your videos and vice versa.
• YouTube videos often appear in Google search results, which can improve your website’s SEO.
• You can build brand awareness by posting engaging video content on the massive and highly engaged platform that YouTube provides.

Questions to consider before using YouTube for small businesses

• Do you have resources to commit to content creation? 

Unlike TikTok, making a YouTube video requires more than just taking a quick video with your phone. You should have a good camera and editing skills (or access to someone who does).

• Do you have something unique to say?

Because YouTube already has a lot of content, you should make sure you have something unique and interesting to say before starting a channel. Consider this: what can I provide that other businesses in my industry do not?

• How much time can you commit? 

When you start a YouTube channel, you must be willing to commit to regularly uploading new videos. It doesn’t matter if you do it once a week, once a month, or even once a day; the important thing is consistency.

Read Also: 5 Tips for Making Engaging Social Media Videos

How to Start Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses?

So to answer your question – how businesses use social media for marketing? Follow the steps given below.

1. Choose which platform would work the best

You must be aware of what each platform does by now and how distinct they are, each with its own set of rules and audiences.

Even though each platform has its own set of advantages, it is not advisable to have your hands on all of them. Indeed, spreading yourself too thin across multiple platforms can be harmful to your brand. Instead, concentrate your efforts on platforms where your target audience is most active and engaged.

By determining the unique personalities of each platform, you can tailor your content to best suit your audience and maximize your social media presence. Don’t be afraid to try new things.

2. Be true to who or what your brand represents

Your brand should represent uniqueness in itself enough to set it apart from your competitors. It’s something that users on one glance should remember just like your personality. It shouldn’t be faked to fit in the market. 

Instead, you should remain true to it and let its authenticity draw in the right audience – those who appreciate your individual style and recognize it as something special. Being true to the identity helps you understand your brand and who it is intended for making it better for effective marketing.

3. Develop a Social Media Marketing Calendar

It’s good to have your weekly or daily tasks and goals scheduled to work systematically. You need to prepare a plan after researching your competitors based on the niche and check their social media presence. 

Look out for what they have been posting, and what has been working out for them, and then decide on which strategies would you need to incorporate into your social media plan. Remember to regularly update your social media networks to keep your followers hooked and drive them back to your website.

4. Stay updated on the Trends

Provide your audience with updated news based on what is trending in the digital world based on your niche. Read blogs, forums, magazines, and other publications relevant to your industry to stay ahead of your competitors. It’s good to attend webinars and events and join groups with others working in the field so as to stay updated.

5. Take advantage of live video

Live video is an excellent tool for engaging customers, responding quickly, and providing a behind-the-scenes look at what happens in your office. It’s also an excellent way to provide quick tutorials or an inside look at your company’s day-to-day operations. 

These live sessions will give you insight into what your audience expects and how to better serve them.

Read Also: Top 7 Social Media Optimization Tools in 2023

6. Host a contest or giveaway

It’s a great way to get your audience excited and engaged with your brand.

Contests and giveaways are a surefire way to attract attention. People love free stuff, and the chance to win something can be a huge motivator to get them to engage with your brand. Plus, when people enter a contest or giveaway, they often share it with their friends and followers, which can help spread the word about your brand even further.

The best part? Hosting a contest or giveaway is a win-win situation for both you and your audience. Your followers get the chance to win something cool, while you get to boost your engagement and reach on social media. It’s a great way to show your appreciation for your audience and build a stronger connection with them.

To make the most of your contest or giveaway, make sure the prize is relevant to your brand and target audience. You want to attract people who are genuinely interested in your brand, not just people who are looking for a freebie. And don’t forget to promote your contest or giveaway on all of your social media channels to get the word out!

So, what are you waiting for? Start planning your next contest or giveaway and watch your social media engagement soar!

7. Collaborate with other businesses or influencers

Collaboration with other companies or influencers can completely transform your brand! Consider this: you can use their audience to reach new people and spread the word about your fantastic product or service.

But keep in mind that you cannot simply team up with anyone. You must find someone who shares your values, is relevant to your industry, and fits your brand. Put on your thinking cap, conduct some research, and find the ideal collaborator. Your brand will be grateful!

8. Take advantage of paid advertising

Social media advertising is an effective, low-cost way to increase traffic and conversions on your website. With targeted campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you can reach audiences that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to. 

Utilize location, interests, demographics, and other factors to target your ads to those who are most likely to be interested in your offer. Use conversion tracking on Facebook and Twitter to measure the success of your campaigns, and Google Analytics or Universal Analytics to measure the impact of your Instagram ads. 

With social media advertising, you can drive amazing results with minimal effort!

9. Make sure you include strong calls-to-action

You can take advantage of calls to action in your social media marketing posts. But you need to have catchy lines that attract the audience but also fulfill their demands and wants when reading through your post. You can think from the audience’s point of view to get a better experience.

Read Also: Which Social Media Platform Can Attract More Customers?

Wrapping it all up!

Now that you are aware of all the platforms and the strategy you can work on your strategies to achieve your goals. Make sure your content and posts relate to your brand and deliver exceptional customer experience besides achieving goals.

For some businesses, it might take months to years too for their marketing strategies to be fruitful. But if you are committed, you can learn from your past experience and work your way out to conquer your social media marketing plans.

If you have any confusion relating to platforms or social media marketing, then without hesitation contact Syndell, to get quick assistance. You can take a level up by taking up our SMM services from our professionals without regret.

Don’t Hesitate! Contact us now!

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