When it comes to running your own business, social media and marketing are probably the last things on your mind.  There are so many other aspects of running a business.  I’m thinking bookkeeping, business development, tech issues to name but a few!  Given this, it’s no surprise that digital marketing is often the last thing busy entrepreneurs have time for.  Social media can feel like a lot of work for no return. But it is undeniable that using social media is a great way to get your business seen by even more people.  The ultimate goal is to use social media to increase not only brand awareness but sales too.

What inspired me to write this post? 

Before Christmas at the old day job, I was tasked with creating a new social media meeting format.  The aim was to engage people from all aspects of the business, generate new ideas as a team and encourage the tech-averse to get their trigger fingers at the ready.  I conducted a review of our social media activity in 2018.  Including a look at our best performing posts across all social media platforms.  This provided the opportunity for the team to see the impact social media had on the business and to come up with new ideas for 2019.

If you follow me on Twitter you may have seen me retweet the below post. The original was posted by a colleague during the meeting.  It was great to see people being this responsive to the subject at hand!

Even though social media is kinda my gig, I left full of even more enthusiasm and new ideas!  This got me thinking (ouch) …

What if you don’t have a team or a media geek to help you carry the load?  Even as a one-man-band or very small business, it is still possible to streamline social media and get some great results.  You just have to ‘box clever.’

5 social media tips for the busy entrepreneur

Consider which platforms work best for you

First and foremost, you don’t need to sign up to EVERY single social media platform and master them all.  If anything this could work against you. Using social media within your business is all about finding the platforms that work best for you.  Even if you only use one or two to start with, you can still be a rock-star on social media!  For example, you may only use Instagram and Facebook or stick to sharing updates via Twitter.  When you find what works best for you and your business, it will save a lot of time down the road!

If you want to make some informed decisions, you can find a full break down of each platform here.

Devise a social media strategy for your business

Once you know what platforms you’re going to be using you can start to build a social media strategy for your business. This will form the guidelines you use to post on social media and drive traffic to your website.  Trust me when I say, this will become your ultimate social media resource.  I have created one for my day job and it is a total lifesaver. To find out more about setting up your own social media strategy for your business, you can visit this site here.

Use pay per click to give your brand an extra push

Pay Per Click advertising (or PPC) is a form of advertising that gives your brand that extra push.  PPC can help you effectively target potential customers online.  Using specific targeting, means your ads are shown to people that will be interested in them and more likely to invest.  This costs very little! Often clicks will cost around 0.4 – 0.7p each.  If you’re in a competitive market however, they may be a little more pricey.

Go ‘live’ to show behind the scenes

Going live is one of the most of valuable things you can do for your business.  More and more people are starting to engage with video content. All you need to do is use either Facebook, Instagram or YouTube to stream a live video.  Why not show a behind the scenes of your business, launch a new product or hold a Q&A session?

For more information on using social media to go live, you can visit the following website for a full range of services.

Create content people will want to engage with

The key to unlocking social media is creating content people actually want to engage with. Often businesses use their platforms to broadcast their products and services and don’t think about creating content that people will want to respond to. Keep the 80:20 rule in mind!  This means 80% of your social media activity should be focused on interaction with your audience.  For example, sharing external content and engaging with your audience in the comments section.  This leaves 20% remaining for business promotion.  Being social on social media, that’s the way to get your brand noticed.

FIN

You don’t have to (and it isn’t advisable) to do it all.  Pick the social media platform that resonates with you and your business needs.   Once you master one, you can move onto the next.  IF you choose to.  If you are stumped on what to post next, think about your target audience.  What would they find useful?  It’s a sure-fire way to create an engaged audience.  Social media is a two-way street.

Do you use social media as an entrepreneur? What are your best tips? Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments section below.

P.s. Found this helpful, why not buy me a coffee? 

P.p.s. For a more in-depth look at Social Media for Business, check out my previous post by clicking the image below!