Small businesses are always looking for ways to promote their brand and get their products and services in front of their target audiences. If your small business has no social media presence then you are missing out on building meaningful relations and ultimately getting more sales. This is why small businesses need to have an effective social media marketing strategy in place to build their brand, engage with existing customers, and increase customer base.
Why Social Media Is Important For Small Businesses
There are many reasons why social media is important for businesses. Below we will explore the significance of social presence for a small business on different social media platforms.
1. It’s Cheap
Social media advertising is not expensive, and that’s in case you opt for paid advertising. For a few bucks, small businesses can run their ads on different social media channels. But if small businesses don’t have any budget then they can go for free organic posts as well. It requires time and effort, yes, but no money. Advertising to the existing following is usually free. But when you want to expand your horizons and get people outside of your customer base then many paid options are available.
Just having a large following won’t make your social media strategy successful. The engagement matters more than following and this is one of the advantages small businesses have over medium to large businesses. Small businesses know their customers well and can leverage targeted organic posts that drive maximum engagement.
2. Room For Collaboration
You can form a social media partnership with your neighboring businesses (not competitors) that are of your niche. Start a giveaway or offer a coupon code that gives a discount on your partner’s products. This way the following of your partner’s business will take interest in your business. And because you both are of the same niche, they might become your leads as well.
In this way, by collaborating with other small businesses through different incentives, you get a mutually beneficial partnership that builds both businesses.
3. Personalized Touch
Compare the examples of two restaurants; one is a corporate food chain and the other is a small café, which one do you think will engage better with their customers? The café for sure. This is because small businesses can take the time to truly understand their customer’s needs and engage on a personal level, and customers love this treatment from small businesses.
Taking the same scenario in social media marketing, small businesses can interact with their customers more effectively, and respond to their queries personally instead of automated responses. This gives small businesses social media advantage over medium to large businesses.
4. Build Genuine Connections
If you scroll through the social media feeds of small businesses vs large businesses, you will observe that small businesses are much more involved in the well being of their community. This involvement builds genuine connections with their audiences. Their customers that they are not only after money but also care about their community, which leads to an increase in their business. Social media also gives a great opportunity to get involved in the community.
Besides this, small businesses don’t operate like big corporations that only care about their profits and not their customers. Small businesses care about their customer’s feedback and queries. So make sure that you have a social media presence – at least a business page on Facebook or Instagram to connect and engage with your customers.
5. Stay Ahead Of Your Competition
When you are running a small business, you are also competing with the other small businesses. Chances are those small businesses that don’t have their profiles set up on different social media channels. By winning the race in creating your profile, you are giving yourself an edge over your small business competitors. So always keep an eye on your competitors and see which channels they are engaging in the most.
6. Leverage Customer Insight
Social media is a great instrument for understanding your target audience in depth. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram give you precise targeting means to effectively reach your potential customers. You can see what your ideal audience is interested in, understand their pain points, and finally tailor your product or service to their requirements.
Social media also gives you retargeting options which can prove extremely useful in bringing interested folks back to your website.
7. Promote Products And Services Better
Small businesses usually offer fewer services and products. They truly understand their offerings and know what is unique about them. This helps them create organic posts that are more specified rather than general. This increases their chances of conversions. By spending a few bucks, they can even bring people outside their local circle, all through social media advertising.
8. Building Reputation
It is easier for small businesses to build a positive reputation on social media. This is because they treat their customers well and address all their concerns compared to money-sucking corporations. Also, as we said above, small businesses are more involved with the community. This paints a positive image in their customer’s minds who are obligated to leave positive feedback on their experience.
Bottom Line
Social media is more beneficial to small businesses than medium-large businesses. It is a cheaper way for advertising brands and services without breaking the bank. It is instrumental in building genuine connections and engagement. Small businesses can afford to be personal with their customers and this helps them a lot in their social media marketing strategy. So make sure your small business has a social media presence or you will be missing out on quite a lot!
