Co-Founder and CEO of Upwise Capital, a leading small business financing marketplace specializing in the cannabis industry.
Traditionally, marketing a small business was no easy task. Small-business owners were forced to hit the pavement and go door-to-door, make copious amounts of cold calls, and rely on unconventional Guerrilla marketing tactics to get their name out to the public. Today, we have access to a much more extensive reach with just the click of a button.
As of January 2022, there are approximately 270 million active social media users in the U.S. That’s a vast amount of the population and a huge reason why a small business should absolutely tap into this technological advancement to promote its brand.
Between LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and more, the options for marketing your small business on social media are endless. What’s more, you can utilize each platform in different ways to optimize results that will ultimately enhance notoriety and hopefully boost profits.
There are plenty of reasons why a small business should invest its time into its social media presence, but let’s examine some of the most valuable.
Sell Yourself
Brand awareness is a powerful marketing strategy that can make or break your small business. After all, if no one has heard of you, then you pretty much don’t exist. Social media is a great platform to yell your name from the proverbial rooftop. This is the time to toot your own horn, boast about recent accolades and highlight new ventures.
Through the use of high-quality images, content, video and more, you’re in control of your own reputation, and you’re able to manage how you want your small business to be represented to the public. Just remember, first impressions are lasting. Make sure to take great care in what you’re posting, as your online reputation will surely stick with you.
Communication Is Key
Communication is a two-way street. Through the use of social media, small businesses are not only able to communicate with their clientele but are also able to receive feedback. Use this as an opportunity to listen to what your customers are saying. See what’s working—or what isn’t—and make the necessary adjustments. The modern-day consumer appreciates clarity and straightforwardness. They don’t want to be tricked. Take the time to build an honest relationship with your target audience, and you will be rewarded with a loyal client base. As a small-business owner, every relationship counts.
Everybody’s Listening
You no longer have to be a public figure to get your voice heard by the masses. Use social media platforms to share your thoughts freely with your target market audience as a pioneer in your industry through high-quality, informative content. The more valuable knowledge you deliver, the more your business will be thought of as a credible industry leader. Consistently pumping out engaging content will also allow your small business’s brand to stay top-of-mind to potential or current clients.
Drive It Home
With your growing social media presence and brand awareness, you’ll have the leverage you need to drive potential clients back to your well-designed website, with an ultimate increase in traffic. A vast majority of your social media posts should, in some way, link back to your website with a call to action. You can even use UTM tracking codes to track how well your posts are doing, and which platforms gained more traction with click-throughs back to your website. This is a very important analytical tool that can also help you gauge which marketing tactics are performing well and vice versa.
Partner Up
Once your small business reaches some prominent gains in notoriety and brand awareness, it may be beneficial to try to partner with some influencers in your specific industry who have a large following. This can be a gold mine for small businesses who haven’t yet reached their social media potential, as just one post from a notable influencer can increase brand awareness, profits, website traction and more almost instantly.
Social Media Advertising
If you want to put some pep in your small business’s step, and boost brand awareness and profits faster than organic SEO and marketing, you may want to look into social media advertising. At a low cost, you can create ads for your small business and customize them to appear to your target audience based on age, gender, geographic location, interests and more. Ads differ greatly between social media platforms, so you’ll have to do the research to get the greatest value for your investment.
As a small-business owner, it’s important to capitalize on any advancement in technology that can help you build your brand and increase profits. With social media at everyone’s disposal, creating a quality online presence will not only aid in the growth of your business but will also allow you to keep your finger on the pulse of your industry.
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