Admit it. You see all the people liking, sharing, and commenting on your biggest competitor’s Instagram account and are feeling a wee bit jealous. Mimicking their style was an epic failure. You had hoped it would work, but no joy. The repeated attempts to replicate their results have left you frustrated and feeling social media is a waste of your time. What do you have to do to get the same level of engagement from your ideal customers? There’s no one-size-fits-all solution that works for every brand (no matter what some self-proclaimed experts claim). The outrageous – and borderline chaotic – posts that populate Wendy’s social media feeds might backfire if you tried it on your accounts. That’s because Wendy’s knows its target audience and crafts every piece of content it pushes out with their entertainment in mind. So, what’s an entrepreneur or small business owner to do? You’ve come to the right place for some practical tips on how to unlock the power of social media engagement to build brand awareness and boost sales. What’s the right social media strategy for your small business?Small business content marketing strategists often disagree on the most effective way to boost engagement on your brand’s social media accounts. Some are die-hard traditionalists who believe there’s no place for personality or creativity in brand social media accounts. They encourage rigid, “professional speak” that makes visitors to your socials feel like they’re being talked at rather than part of a conversation. The rest of us see things differently. You don’t have to be all prim and proper to resonate with your ideal customer. Nor do you have to go all unhinged in the style of brands like Wendy’s, Duolingo, and Ryan Air. Striking a balance between boring and extreme that makes you more relatable to your target audience – without crossing boundaries that are uncharacteristic of your brand – is the key to success. Crafting a buyer personaHere’s where the hard work of small business content marketing begins. Thorough customer research is the first step in understanding the psyche of your ideal customer. You can’t create content that resonates if you don’t know what makes your ideal client tick. Follow these steps to create a buyer persona that helps your brand create focused content:
How do you craft compelling content that resonates?You can’t speak to your people if you don’t understand how they like to have conversations. And social media content is absolutely a conversation. The quickest way to turn off your followers is by posting and ghosting. Social media is meant to be interactive (that’s why social is in the name). Don’t just talk at your audience. Engage in meaningful conversations with them. You can do this in one of two ways.
The role of storytelling in engaging contentContent that prioritizes a personalized experience for your customers is more likely to build brand loyalty. That’s where strong storytelling skills come in handy. No one wants to do business with a nameless, faceless entity. People connect with people. The most effective way to humanize your brand on social media is through relatable stories about the people behind your brand, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the journey of your products. Let’s say your company just released a new product. Use your social media to tell the story of how it was developed. Highlight the challenges and the triumphs during the design process, the inspiration behind it, and real customer testimonials about how it changed their lives. What’s the role of user-generated content?Small business content marketing pros understand that user-generated content is one of the most effective ways to build trust in your brand and boost engagement. Statistics don’t lie. Customers are more likely to connect with social media content created by their peers rather than solely relying on your branded messages. They consider it more authentic and reliable. Testimonials, reviews, and even demonstrations of how to use your product from social media influencers can foster a sense of belonging. Collaborating with influencers to boost social media engagementSpeaking of social media influencers, some brands have found great success collaborating with them to increase social media engagement. Influencers have followers who align with their niche. When that niche aligns with your industry, you can tap into their established audience to reach potential customers who might not have otherwise discovered your brand. Sharing content from your social media accounts to theirs gets more eyeballs on your feed. The exposure can lead to increased engagement from a targeted and interested audience. Influencers also serve as social proof for your brand. When their followers see someone that they admire and trust endorsing your products or services, it lends credibility. If you decide to work with an influencer, give them creative license to promote your brand in the way they know resonates best with their audience. Create small business marketing content that convertsCreating content is challenging. Even pro content marketers struggle with it occasionally. Social media engagement is not just about gaining likes and comments. Use it to build meaningful connections that ultimately lead to conversions. Transforming your social media strategy into a powerful tool that helps to achieve your content marketing goals is the most effective way to drive small business success. Craft compelling content, foster genuine conversations, and use the visual appeal of your brand to create a thriving social media presence your customers enjoy engaging with every day. Need a little more help? Consider registering for our 1:1 content training sessions or joining our small business content marketing community where you can get ongoing feedback and support. About the Author
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