Guide to Being a Social Local Business
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vine, Snapchat…you’ve heard about social media, but it’s not for your local business. Right? Well not exactly. You may be an established business or you may be new to the game, either way you need social media on your side.
Social media is no longer for the “younger” generation of consumers. The growing number of adults age 35-65+ on social media is constantly increasing, which means you have an opportunity to reach them and we are going to tell you how!
Twitter is the perfect platform for local businesses. It is one of the simpler platforms to create content for since all you need is 140 characters, however there lies the challenge. Although coming up with a sentence seems easy, it can be difficult for business owners because it doesn’t leave much text to get your point across. If you have an announcement or special you want to tweet, keep it simple. Twitter isn’t the time to write a novel, it is the time to say only what you need to say…with of course a few hashtags.
Always use hashtags. The best way to reach an audience you are looking for is to use popular hashtags that are specific to your industry, area or topic of conversation. If you are unsure of which hashtags to use just head on over to google and type in popular hashtags for you industry. This will help you keep your business from being “socially awkward” on Twitter.
Consumers love Instagram. Why? Because it is visually appealing to look at. We can’t help but love a great photo which is why you need to put your local business on this platform. Instagram is the perfect place for boutiques, hair salons and most importantly restaurants. Food is the most heavily Instagrammed item in the world. By putting your dishes on Instagram and using popular hashtags like you do with twitter, you will open a door for foodies in your area to catch a glimpse of your menu and make plans to visit.
The best thing you can do for your businesses Instagram account is to take quality photos. You don’t have to get a $5000 camera to take a great photo. Infact customers like to see an authentic image, but remember to always be cautious of lighting, clarity and steadiness of your hand.
If you are going to invest your time into one platform for your local business, it should be Facebook. Every business can benefit from being on Facebook. If you are a music venue or active restaurant you can post weekly events for your followers to see. If you have a specific demographic you are trying to reach you have the ability to create ads to target their location and individual behaviors. The latest perk for businesses on Facebook is the new shop feature. This changes the game for local businesses as they can put their products right on Facebook for customers to shop.
If you are looking to dominate your competitors on Facebook keep in mind that your posts should be engaging and always include an image or video that your target audience would like to see. This will help keep customers active on your page and will keep your business in their thoughts.
Social offers so many incredible tools for local businesses. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to meet your new customer, so go ahead and create your social media pages or talk to us about getting you started!
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