November 1, 2023
5 Quick Ways to Help Improve Social Media for Your Business
Most small business owners recognize the potential impact and relevance in reaching their target consumers, but for whatever reason, some fail to fully tap into the benefits of social media marketing. That doesn't mean you can't start improving your social media strategy and execution in meaningful ways right away.
Social media for small businesses rests on core marketing principles, such as consistency, frequency, and consumer engagement. Whether it’s TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, or other platforms, you’re able to craft your messaging. It's all about knowing your audience, tailoring your approach and providing value.
By applying these straightforward social media tips, you can get the ball rolling in the right direction. These tactics are simple to implement and could yield greater brand visibility, consumer engagement, and bottom-line sales.
1. Optimize Your Profile
Your profile often acts as a “home" or “landing" page in the world of social media. So before diving into what you post, update your profile for clarity and ease of understanding. Make sure your profile photo or picture is up to date, your business bio is accurate, compelling, and that links to your website are clear. Also, double check that all links are working and basic info like phone number and business hours are up-to-date.
Also ensure that colors, pictures, and wording are consistent across all social accounts and platforms. People may view your social profiles as a first-ever touchpoint for your brand, so treat optimizing it as a precious chance to make a lasting first impression.
Quick Tip: Use one of the many graphic design tools available to create a professional-looking profile picture or cover photo in minutes.
2. Don't Just Post. Engage.
Social media is about interaction. You're not just speaking to the consumer; you're conversing with them. And in the time it takes to brew a cup of coffee, you can like, comment, or share a post from another business or influencer in your industry. Actively engaging with consumers and other business accounts can build relationships and increase visibility of your own content.
By responding individually to comments or reviews, you can build trust with consumers and demonstrate transparency. For instance, if someone posts a picture of themselves enjoying your product on Instagram, don't hesitate to drop a comment thanking them or asking if they have any questions or concerns.
Quick Tip: Set aside five minutes each day to respond to comments and engage. It's a small investment that can have long-term returns. For more specifics on how to engage with your customers, check out our "Ways to Level Up Your Social Media Engagement" video here.
3. Schedule Posts Ahead of Time
Consistency is one way to build familiarity with your target audience. Posting regularly can increase your authority, visibility, and discoverability. Even if you're swamped with other business operations, there are numerous tools available that allow you to schedule posts ahead of time. This ensures your content goes live regularly, even when you're offline.
Similar to engagement, set aside as few as five or ten minutes a day to write social media posts and schedule them as a backlog. You can even ask your team members and employees to submit ideas for posts as a fun exercise or take advantage of free Suggested Social Media post assets available from Amex.
Quick Tip: Remember, always choose times when your audience is most active for optimal eyeballs and engagement. Scheduling posts around 8:00 AM, for instance, is great for when people are scrolling prior to heading off for work. Noon is another good time slot as people are checking social media on their lunch breaks.
Platforms like Constant Contact can help with this, and new customers can take advantage of an offer from Constant Contact to get a 60-day free trial plus 30% off the first 3 months on select monthly plans. Terms apply. Learn more about the Constant Contact offer.
4. Share Customer Testimonials
If you have rave reviews or testimonials, don't hesitate to share them on social media — just make sure to get permission from your reviewers ahead of time. Positive feedback from real customers can build trust and credibility with your audience. It's also a great way to show appreciation to your loyal customers by giving them a spotlight on your platform.
You can do this in a number of ways, from sharing a blog about a testimonial on social media to a screenshot of the review accompanied a celebratory or thank you message, tagging their person's social account so they'll want to share it. Amex even offers free social post imagery that lean into client appreciation. Tagging the individuals or companies that gave the review can also increase reach and potential virality.
Quick Tip: Turn reviews into visually appealing graphics using design tools or free resources to make testimonials more shareable and noticeable.
5. Use Hashtags Strategically
Hashtags can either make or break both your content's visibility and readability. Using relevant and trending hashtags can greatly increase the reach of your posts. But remember to focus on quality over quantity and you don't want to interfere with the message you're trying to convey. Integrate industry-relevant hashtags organically into your content, focusing mainly on the copy.
First, research industry and competitor social accounts to get an idea of common hashtags to use. You may also consider coming up with a hashtag unique to your brand to differentiate some of your posts. But again, don't go overboard and keep your posts clean and concise.
Quick Tip: Research popular hashtags in your industry or auto-generate hashtags with available tools.
Final Thoughts
Small businesses and owners may find the world of social media daunting, especially with running a company on their plate. But give these quick, actionable steps to improve your online presence a try. Simple steps like improving your profile and taking a few minutes to respond and engage, will help you take the first step towards making social media strategy a core part of your future success.
This content was written by a freelance author and commissioned and paid for by American Express. This article contains general information and is not intended to provide information that is specific to American Express products and services.
