Business owners are realizing that social media is one of the best marketing tools available today. Most social media sites have free enrollment and posting, which is a huge advantage to small businesses that have a low budget for marketing purposes. Most likely you already have social media accounts, if not you should sign up for Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Snapchat immediately. The following social media practices will help you take full advantage of platforms.

  • Brand Your Social Media Pages – Use your logo and identical color themes on all social media pages. The branding helps consumers recognize your business throughout all platforms. The familiarity also makes a consumer feel comfortable and safe using your services or products.
  • Set Goals – Social media platforms should be used with specific goals in mind. You might want to promote a specific product, expose current news in your industry or advertise a sale. A goal of attracting customers or bringing focus to other industry related information will give your social media work a purpose. It’s important to create authentic posts in addition to sharing information.
  • Choose Quality over Quantity – Have you ever seen a business repeat the same information online? Avoid saying the same thing over and over again. Post well thought out posts on a regular basis. Posting at least 3 times per week is recommended. The quality of the posts is more important than the quantity.
  • Research the Competition – Every business has competitors. To learn more about your industry and social media, check out the competitors. Visit their online social media sites and research how many followers they have on each platform. If they have a large amount of followers on a specific platform compared to the others, changes are your audience prefers that specific platform as well. Put it to the test and sign up for that platform.
  • Use YouTube – Business owners often shy away from YouTube because they think it’s a “just for fun” site. It is actually a highly-recommended site for businesses. You create your own channel and post videos related to your business services and products. Social media studies have revealed that YouTube is the most visited social media site due to its engaging videos.

Social media has made it easier for businesses to market and network their business. The sites offer free accounts and some offer additional advertising for an additional fee. Take your business to the next level by taking advantage of social media outlets. The benefits will surprise you and the exposure you receive has the potential to go worldwide. Get started today!