Small business owners wear many hats. Aside from being the boss, you are the repair person, secretary, chief financial officer, HR manager, IT expert and much more. With so many important areas vying for your attention, it is easy to put items that seem optional on the back burner. Take social media, for example. Because having a social media presence is not something that is mandatory for your business to operate, it can seem optional. But, by not having a presence, you are vastly limiting brand awareness potential and in turn, your revenue.
With 2.26 billion people active on the platform according to PR Daily, Facebook is a must regardless of industry.
It does not have to be the platform you use most frequently, but you should have a presence. It allows you to post photos and videos, promote events, monitor reviews and raise money, just to name a few.
Twitter is an excellent tool when it comes to managing customer service, making it a great fit for those operating B2C ventures. When consumers voice a complaint online, they tend to take to Twitter to do so. Being able to right wrongs in 280 characters or less shows that you care about your clientele, allows you the chance to personalize your brand and can result in keeping a customer you might have lost if you hadn’t had the chance to interface with him or her. If you are a B2B establishment, however, Twitter is not always necessary. It is important to note, though, that Obsidian has seen it prove beneficial to B2B clients when leveraging leadership as experts in their field. You, as the business owner, can chime in on topics such as current issues impacting your city and industry trends.
Like Twitter, Instagram is not essential for B2B social media success. The photo-heavy platform is most useful for those selling directly to consumers, including retail stores and restaurants. After all, consumers are 57.5% more likely to buy from a brand they follow on social media than one they do not, according to Sprout Social. Instagram gives the 25 million businesses it hosts the opportunity to show followers what they offer through photos and videos that speak for themselves. Showing a photo of the new holiday candles you are selling or showcasing the lively patio your restaurant offers in a video keeps you top of mind and can entice new and return customers to visit your place of business.
If B2B companies do not necessarily have to be on Twitter or Instagram, where else besides Facebook should they be?
With 95% of B2B marketers sharing content on LinkedIn, creating a profile not only for your business but for yourself as a small business owner is a must.
Use this platform for business-related content and industry news. LinkedIn is not a place to sell your product; it is a place to position your business as a legitimate establishment and yourself as an expert in your particular field.
The more active you are on social media, the more likely it is that your following will grow. The more your following grows, the more brand awareness increases. With heightened brand awareness comes, more often than not, an increase in sales. Social media is not optional. As a small business owner, it is crucial for you to carve out time in your busy schedule to establish a digital presence. #YouCanDoIt!
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