Unlocking Growth Series Part 5: The Power of Social Media Management for Local Business

Many times, businesses use inexperienced employees to shove their sales pitch repeatedly into the faces of customers on social media, but then receive complaints/lose followers because their campaigns are too noisy. In turn, companies claim that it doesn’t bring sales, produce a good ROI, it’s expensive, and too time-consuming for any business. But that’s just not right.

In a survey of 500 small business owners, 43% said that they spend 6 or more hours every week on social media. No consumer likes to get bombarded with consistent sales messages. You need to invest time in building a relationship with your target audience on their choice of social media platform. That involves engaging with them by posting high-quality content and asking their opinions.

Let me share some stats to show why you could be missing out on a golden opportunity to engage with your target audience, and reach more potential customers, by abandoning social media rather than employing a social media agency:

• Social Media has 3.5 billion active users worldwide as of December 2019.
• 79% of the US population has a social profile.
• 97% of consumers aged 18-34 read online reviews to judge a local business.

So, where do you start? Facebook, right? You might be thinking that since Facebook is the biggest social media platform, your target audience will definitely hang out there. Nope. Not necessarily. Because there’s more than one major social media channel out there.

An important step is to find out the websites and platforms where your customers hang out (instead of assuming them) when creating your social media strategy.

Next, creating engaging social media content is crucial for building a loyal audience and driving meaningful interactions. Here are some effective strategies to help you craft compelling content:

1. Be a Storyteller: People love stories that resonate with their emotions. Share real-life experiences, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or customer success stories. Use relatable narratives to connect with your audience.
2. Make It Relevant: Understand your audience’s interests, needs, and pain points. Tailor your content to address their specific challenges or aspirations. When your content aligns with their lives, they’re more likely to engage.
3. Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage your followers to create content related to your brand. UGC not only builds community but also provides authentic content that resonates with others.
4. Tap into Employee-Generated Content (EGC): Showcase your team members, their work, and their stories. Humanize your brand by sharing their experiences and expertise.
5. Share Customer Testimonials: Highlight positive feedback from satisfied customers. Testimonials add credibility and encourage others to engage with your brand.
6. Curate Content from Other Brands: Don’t hesitate to share valuable content from complementary brands or industry leaders. It shows that you’re well-informed and interested in providing value to your audience.
7. Offer a Backstage Pass: Take your audience behind the scenes. Share glimpses of your workspace, product development process, or events. Authenticity fosters engagement.

Something important to remember is consistency matters. Regularly posting high-quality content, engaging with your audience, and using what you learn to cater content to your most engaged members goes a long way.

Last but not least, you need to be aware that social media success does not happen overnight. By understanding your audience, creating engaging content, leveraging platform features, utilizing analytics, engaging with your community, considering paid advertising, and crafting a cohesive plan, businesses can unlock their growth potential. Don’t have that special employee to champion your social media strategy? Use GMS, we can harness the power of your social media channels and fuel your business growth! 🚀