The most daunting part of social media marketing for small business is understanding your audience.
After all, they are your customers and potential new leads.
Getting to know your fan base is the most important key to figuring out the best way to reach them with content that is engaging. Here are a few tips to help demystify your marketing targets.
1. Find out where they are
It may seem obvious, but you should know which social media platforms your customer segment uses. If you notice more fans active on Facebook, focus on putting great content into the news feed. This doesn’t mean to disregard other social networks because they could surprise you with new leads. Go to where your fans are and show them your best.
2. Match the Network
The majority of social network users have at least two accounts on different platforms. Which networks are used very much depends on what the user is looking for, like turning to Twitter for news and Pinterest for recipes. Each platform is provides a unique experience, so tailor your approach to match the tone of the community. Focus your content on the most relevant topics in your industry and target your audience.
3. Sharing and Purchasing
Most social networks offer metrics and analytics now because of the rise of social media marketing for business. For networks that don’t, other platforms have developed services to monitor metrics for you. These simple tools allow you to see what of your content is getting engagement and how. It’s like handing you the keys to what works and what doesn’t. Social media drives roughly half of online and in-store purchasing. Half of social media-related purchasing takes place within 1 week of engaging with the purchased item. Find out what your audience is looking for and give it to them by simply asking.
Ideally, after you ask questions about your customers’ interests, you will compare that to your metrics and plan your marketing strategy from there.
Understanding your customer requires listening and responding to make a connection.
Building these relationships takes time, but if you know what you are looking for it should be a breeze.