There are so many social media platforms out there that it can be hard to know which one to focus on first and how to use them most effectively. For example, some platforms are better for building brand awareness than others, and some are better suited for driving specific types of traffic and leads. Knowing what works best for your business will help you make the most of your social media efforts and minimize wasted time and energy on platforms that won’t do much for you in the long run.
Here are eight creative ways to use social media for business and some specific examples of businesses that have excelled with these approaches.
- Marketplaces
Marketplaces are an excellent way to get your product in front of consumers, but they’re not all created equal. For example, if you plan on launching an online store, Amazon and eBay are great places to start. But if you’re more interested in building a brand or finding new customers who don’t already know you, platforms like Instagram and Pinterest can be more helpful. You may buy tik tok followers to boost your social media presence. If you’re interested in joining a marketplace like Etsy or Fiverr, consider reaching out directly to sellers with similar products and asking about their experience. You might even offer them an affiliate commission or discount (like 20 percent) for sending business your way if it results in a sale!
2) Advertise Opportunities
First, you must decide what advertising works best for your business. This can be based on several factors, including a budget, product or service, and target audience. Consider partnering with local businesses to cross-promote your company by offering discounts and promotions incorporating each other’s services or products. For example, a hair salon could offer discounts when clients buy cosmetics from a local makeup store. A successful ad campaign also takes time and patience.
Be consistent and commit yourself to see it through. Be sure you’re able to track your advertising so you can see which methods produce tangible results, such as more customers or higher sales volume.
3) Market Your Services Online
When you open a small business, you want people to find it. One way to do that is by marketing your services online. Create a free website where potential customers can learn about your services, get helpful information and contact details, see examples of your work, and even find testimonials from satisfied clients. If you have a brick-and-mortar business and an online presence, be sure that both sites reflect one another so your customers can easily keep track of all of your offerings.
4) Building an Email List
An email list is one of the best ways to get people to engage with your brand online. Once you have a list, you can offer them special discounts and deals and even send them exclusive content—something your followers can’t get anywhere else. Creating an email list is a great way to connect with customers who love what you do but might not be able to meet in person or attend live events. Building one takes time, but it’s worth it in the long run! Here are three steps that will help you build your own:
- Start with Your List: If you already have a personal email list (and if you don’t, start building one!), use that as a jumping-off point for building out your business-specific list.
- Add Email Signup Forms on Your Website: Don’t make visitors hunt around to find where they can sign up; add easy-to-find forms on every page of your website.
- Promote Your List Everywhere You Can: Ask everyone, from social media influencers to potential clients, if they want to join your mailing list. Asking them directly will help ensure they know how important their input is!
5) Stand Out in a Crowded Industry
If you’re trying to get ahead in a highly saturated market, it can be easy to feel like there’s no way to compete with more prominent brands. You could have an incredible product, but what good is it if your customers can’t find you? Crowded markets are just that: crowded. When using social media for business, think outside of traditional networks and dive into niche communities that your competitors aren’t currently using.
6) Get Access to Other Influencers
It’s easy to get in touch with other influencers and build relationships with them. Most people would agree that networking is essential, but sometimes it can be difficult when you don’t know anyone. If you already have your network of influencers, it should be a lot easier to use social media for business and gain exposure on social media. Additionally, start following some influencers so you can establish a relationship with them before asking them for something. Start by finding other people who are somewhat active on social media, who have similar interests as you or are in a related field of work.
7) Help People Find You
Every business needcustomer, and one of the best ways to make sure they find you is through social media. Facebook has over 900 million active users worldwide, and Twitter has more than 200 million accounts. If a substantial percentage of your target audience is on either network, those numbers alone should give you confidence that there’s a good chance they will see you. But just because there are many users doesn’t mean social media networks are suitable for every business. It depends on what your brand stands for and what kind of marketing best fits its image and mission. To determine if social media are suitable for you, ask yourself.
8) Posting at the Right Time of Day
Posting at peak times is another great way to use social media for business. Suppose you’re on Facebook, schedule posts about promotions or news updates during when your fans are most likely to see them. Then you can also schedule additional content ahead of time and post from an already established account, so you don’t waste valuable work time. On Twitter, make sure your posts go out on weekends; tweets go into a particular holding pattern during the week, and most people won’t see them until Monday morning.
Conclusion
There are many ways to use social media in business, but it’s not always easy or obvious how best to use them. Hopefully, some of these suggestions inspire you to use your favorite platform in a new way. The key is to keep trying and testing different things until you find something that works!