One of the most common issues I hear from business owners is that they struggle in getting started with social media.

Social media is a common communication channel. Many people use it as their sole way to communicate with family and friends, and businesses too. Whether you like it or loathe it, social media should hold a space within your businesses marketing plan.

I’d like to share my top tips for getting started with social media.

Tip 1 – Choose one or two social media channels only.

There is no point in trying to be everywhere if you don’t have the time to build your social communities everywhere. I recommend that you choose one or two social media channels and do them well, rather than choosing six channels, stretching your resources so thin, that you don’t end up doing any of them well.

Tip 2 – Schedule your content

One of the biggest failures with social media is not posting consistently. The best way to avoid this is to put aside a few hours once a month or once a fortnight and schedule your social content in one sitting. There are plenty of scheduling tools available including free options and paid tools. I recommend SmarterQueue, RecurPost and MeetEdgar. These all auto post to the main social media channels, allowing you the best use of your time.

Tip 3 – Engaging content

When choosing your content for social media, remember to keep it fun and not all about you. Posts to sell your products should form part of your strategy but should only be about 20% of your content. People will engage with your content if it’s fun, they can relate to it or it helps them in some way. Showcase your skills by educating your audience, with helpful tips, blogs or articles that demonstrate your knowledge. Share jokes or fun memes that your audience will relate to, think to yourself would I share this with my friends? If the answer is yes, then it is probably hitting the mark for content you could share. For more ideas on what to post on social media, check out this blog for 20 social media content ideas.

Tip 4 – Be social

Social media is just that, a social way of connecting with people. Use the platform as a way of communicating with your audience. Be authentic and be you. If someone comments on one of your posts; writes you a review or asks a question, acknowledge it and reply. Ensure you have your contact information easily accessible on your profile so that your customers can contact you, include your website, your email address or phone number.

Finally, have a social media presence is also a way of demonstrating that you have an active business. Many prospective customers will do their research and check your website and social media channels before they actually make contact with you. If a customer was to do that today, what would that say about your business?

If you need help with your social media management reach out, we have packages to manage the process for you.