Social Media Tips for Small Business Owners

Whether you’ve been in business for a while or you’re just starting out, you probably get how important your social media accounts are for growing your audience.

You probably already know that you need to post regularly. Maybe you’ve already lined up a scheduler like Hootsuite to keep your posts coming out regularly. (If you haven’t, here’s a list to get you started.)

Maybe you’ve even hired someone like me to make sure that your posts are trendy and hashtaggy and all that good stuff. 

After all, you’re running a business. You have a ton of administrative nonsense already on your plate before you even get to do that thing you love to do. (You know, the reason you started this whole business in the first place?) 

So, outsourcing your social media marketing just makes sense.

But that doesn’t mean you can cross social media off your list.

If you’re running a tutoring center, or coaching new parents, or providing wellness tips, then you know that your business is all about relationships. And, for better or worse, in 2021, the best place to develop relationships is on social media.

Word-of-mouth marketing on social platforms

You can’t just post and walk away.

Think of it this way. Back in the dark ages before social media, I used to teach after-school drama classes in a small town. One of the marketing tools I used was to put up flyers in the local coffee shops around town.

And yes, every once in a while I would get a call because someone happened to see a flyer for my class. But the vast majority of my students came from word-of-mouth referrals.

So-and-so’s mom was at pick-up with So-and-so’s dad and mentioned that her daughter was taking this great drama class. So-and-so’s dad was having coffee with a colleague and they got to talking about their kids, and he mentions this drama class. And so-and-so-and-on-and-on.

Well, that’s what’s happening on social media. I mean, okay, it’s VERY different. But right now, that’s where you’re going to get the old word-of-mouth marketing that works better than anything.

The trick is, you have to show up. You have to be part of the conversation. I can write you the best SEO, trend-following SM copy in the world for you to post every single day, but if you’re not engaging with your audience, they’re not going to see it.

It’s like the difference between posting a flyer on the overcrowded bulletin board or actually sitting down and having coffee with a group of prospective clients.

So, how do you engage with your clients? 

The first trick is to avoid just scrolling your feed. Think about that term: “feed.” You’re being fed what this social media platform wants you to see. When you mindlessly scroll through the feed, you’re working for the platform instead of making the platform work for you.

Instead, use that search bar. Search for potential clients to friend or follow. When your audience comments on your stuff, don’t just like their comment, engage in the conversation. Go to their page and see what they have going on. Comment on their posts, like their stuff.

Seek out those dream clients you want to work with. If they’re truly your dream clients, then you are going to like what they do—the pics of their kid’s Cub Scout project, the shout-out they give to their kid’s teacher, the question they courageously throw out into the void about their health. 

Small businesses are all about community. They always have been. Just because the community is online now, doesn’t make that any different. Remember these are people on the other side of these pages and posts—people you want to get to know better. People who might just love that thing that you love to do.

Up Your Game

The last thing I’ll say about social media is that there’s one type of post that engages more audience than any other – video.

Remember when we all realized we couldn’t just type some words and post, we had to include an image or a link to engage people? Well, we’re past that time now. If you’re not posting with video by 2022, you’re going to miss a lot of audience members.

I love helping my clients with video scripts and even editing, so let me know if I can be of assistance there. 

And if you want to catch my own social posts, you can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Insta.

I know we all got a little agoraphobic in 2020. But it’s almost 2022, so don’t forget there’s a safe place to be social!