Using Social Media as a Small Business

Let’s discuss social media and maybe why you’re not seeing much traction with your content. (There are many reasons, but we’ll stick to the top reasons here):

Your posts either miss the mark, or else they are a barrage of ads.
You are in constant sell mode, treating visitors like dollar signs and not like people.
You hate social media, and we can tell.

What do all three of these things have in common? You Post and Run. Or, if you prefer, you Post and Ghost.

So now that we know what you may be doing wrong, let’s focus on how to make what you’re doing “less wrong” and to get social on social media! (Disclaimer: Social media is part science, part art, part social, and part luck. You can control the first three through trial and error, but the Universe controls that last one.)

You're Missing The Point of Social Media

Let’s say you are a business that sells widgets to widget lovers. You are like “Hey, I have a great widget, let me show off the widget and how great the widget is and how great Widget Inc. is!” That’s a good start. That’s good for a post or two.

So, yeah. What else do you need to do? Well, you need to also sell YOU. You need to provide education (that YOU know), value (that YOU have), and entertainment (that YOU can deliver) to your audience. Not the hot mess you or the controversial you, but the you that likes dogs, the you that likes hikes, the you that likes hot fudge sundaes over broccoli. Because this makes you a person.

A person who is just like the person who comes across your feed starts relating to you and, hey, maybe in the market for some widgets (or knows someone who is).

Homework: Go and visit two (2!) of your competitors on LinkedIn. The one you would love to be like, and the one you hate. See what they are both doing, and see what the interactions are like. Do they talk about their business, their people, and the industry? What is their tone like, and do they use images or videos, or links to blog posts?

You’re Treating Your Visitors Like Dollar Signs

Let’s go back to remembering the “social” in social media platforms. It’s the place where you go to look up cute cat videos, see what a family member is up to, and seek out news. We also use it to see how an artist paints her watercolor pictures, how a small-living person creates a sink in her van, and even how to use social media!

Now notice what wasn’t said: We do NOT use it to be sold to.

Once more for the cheap seats: SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT THE PLACE TO BLATANTLY SELL TO PEOPLE.

Homework: Go and visit someone who is in your industry on Instagram who is doing very well with interactions and followers. Are they informative? Adding value? Being entertaining? Be aware of which posts are doing better than others, too. You’re gathering data points to create a roadmap for your own strategy!

How to Like Social Media Versus Hating It (Because Your Followers Can Tell)

We get it. Social media can come across as fake. Or shallow. Or obnoxious. Or a waste of time. And yes, it can be all of these things.

However.

In 2021, 7 out of 10 Americans used social media. The majority of people are on social media, and you need to be too.

So, with this cruddy news in hand, how can you make yourself like social media?

If you look at it as work, it will turn into drudgery. But what if you see it like you’re checking in with your followers? Just like you would hang out at the water cooler at work to catch up with employees, what if you saw social media as a way to touch base with your followers and potential followers? Show them why you’re worthy of their time and attention.

Once you start making social media a social part of your life, you’ll start to like it, and it will show.

Homework: Look up the topic of what you’re selling: cars, insurance, books, hot yoga. Look up people to follow by going to one social media network you may hate a little less than the rest and use the hashtag search to find that topic. Look for people you don’t hate to follow. Follow them. See what kind of posts make you like sticking around because you’re being treated like a person, and not a sale.

And There You Have It–You’ll Have a Million Followers in a Week!

Did I get your attention? Good. Because none of these actions guarantees followers. That may be the reason why you’re not all-in with social media. You want to see those numbers skyrocket week after week, not trickle in. But that’s reality. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a conversation, not a high five.

If you show that you like social media and that you’re interacting and not transacting, you may find those numbers trickling in faster than average because people like you. They really, really like you.

digit-ALL is a full-service marketing company that focuses on the people side of marketing. We focus on websites, social media, blogs, newsletters, and even corporate event planning. We’re here to help when you’re ready for it.

SOURCES:

Social Media Fact Sheet. PewResearch.org.