According to HootSuite, there are more than three billion people worldwide using some form of social media for communication. Of those three billion users, nearly all of them access social media via their mobile devices. What does this mean to a small business owner? It means, in our advancing technological world humans can access information and communicate with brands twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It also indicates social media is the most contemporary form of communication and with billions of people agreeing it’s the place to be, small business owners could miss valuable market share if their companies are not among the brands in the social media marketing space.

As a small business owner, though, you likely are wearing many hats and have little time to do everything in a day that needs to be done. You are also likely on a tight budget with a goal of turning a profit. Here are some tips to help your company with social media management.

7 Social Media Tips for Social Media Management

1. Start small and grow big. When social media first exploded on the communications and marketing scene, companies felt like they needed a presence on all social media channels. This is no longer true, relevant, or a smart strategy. According to Facebook, it has 2.41 billion active users. Naturally, you should start with a Facebook business page because it is the most popular platform with the largest audience. Facebook is also the third largest search engine, so you don’t want to miss an opportunity for your business to be found.

2. Choose a second social media platform. Depending on your business and industry, products, and services, you should choose at least one other social media platform to promote your business. If your goal is to earn media attention, Twitter is a great place to be. If you have really interesting products that can be photographed or you are trying to reach Generation Z, create an Instagram account. YouTube, which is owned by Google and the second largest search engine (Google is first), reaches audiences of all ages with video content. If you have content that would make for good videos, YouTube is a great option for your business.

3. Schedule time to map out a short-term strategy. Don’t look at social media as just “one more task” you have to get done. Businesses of any size should view social media as an investment, and in fact, one of the most important and cost-effective strategic marketing decisions you can ever make as a business owner. Without feeling overwhelmed, think about a short-term strategy, then learn as you grow.

4. Create an editorial calendar. This will help you remember when to post and what content you are posting. Three times a week is ideal. The important thing to remember is to not overload your followers with so much content that they become disengaged. Keep it moderate, especially in the beginning until you gain a following and learn more about your audience.

5. Social media is free. Yes, it costs your business absolutely nothing to set up social media accounts and post organic content. What does cost is choosing to do optional paid advertising on a social media platform. Even then, though, the cost is minimal and the ability to geotarget to a specific audience is paramount. Traditional marketing via television or radio advertising has tapered off significantly, and the shift is now heavy on the social media paid advertising side. The good thing for small business owners is that it doesn’t take a large budget to advertise on social media. For just $5 a day you can promote content to the audience specifically interested in what you have to offer.

6. Be responsive. Social media has given consumers a voice. It is no longer about brands pushing the message they want consumers to hear, see, and learn. Consumers can now comment publicly on a business page or send a private message regarding a customer service issue. By responding quickly, the customer feels heard and serviced individually, which gives you the opportunity to build brand loyalty.

7. Analytics. All social media platforms offer free analytics so you learn demographics of those engaging with your social media accounts. This helps you, as a business owner, learn who you are selling to and what they like and don’t like.

If you’re ready to take the next step to propel your organization forward with its marketing initiatives, reach out and let us help guide you to see a true ROI through social media management.