Whether you’re a multinational corporation or a one-man band, using social media is a powerful and cost-effective way to grow your business. If you’re looking to target customers local to you, here are a few things to consider.
- JOIN THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
It’s one thing posting and tweeting to keep followers updated. But wherever you’re based, there are guaranteed to be online conversations taking place in your community about the things that matter to you. Identifying the most relevant and adding your voice to them is a great way to build valuable connections.
As it’s a conversation and not a sales pitch, being open, friendly and not too “salesy” always helps. As do tagging, @mentioning and using local #hashtags.
- CONTENT IS KING
There are loads of interesting tools out there to make social output more interesting and engaging. Most are pretty simple to use. Emojis, Vines, Snapchat filters or even the simple act of posting a tweet with an image is proven to significantly increase engagement vs. those without.
Landscape gardener? Try creating gifs that showcase before and after shots. Restaurant? How about a Twitter poll to pick a new dish on the menu?
To see what works, test a few out and stick with the ones people engage with most.
- KEEP GOING!
Social media never sleeps, so it’s vital to be prepared for the long game. The relatively small pool of a local area means that once people become aware of you online, they’ll expect to hear from you and talk to you on a regular basis.
Having someone permanently dedicated to it is the simplest approach. Though I have other duties at READY, one of my tasks is to manage our social channels. I devote time to it every day, and we’re significantly growing our following as a result.
- HAVE A PLAN, AND STICK TO IT
It’s important to set a long-term strategy complete with goals and measurable results. Otherwise how do you know if what you’re doing is working
It can be done alone, or with an expert’s help. However, we’d advise keeping day-to-day management in-house. Your staff know your products and the community you’re targeting better than anyone outside your business.
Do ensure they have clear rules and governance to follow, particularly in terms of what’s appropriate to post and what isn’t.
- THINK ABOUT CAMPAIGNS
As mentioned, regular maintenance is essential for building your business’s profile. But consider dedicated campaigns too, like competitions, promotions or celebrations around particular occasions or local events.
To maximise impact, it’s essential to plan them well in advance and set clear objectives, such as capturing data or generating an uplift in sales. Social platforms offer plenty of nifty tracking options, which you can use to measure performance and identify improvements for future campaigns.
Did you like this post? You might also be interested in Choosing The Right Social Media Platforms.
