If you are a small business owner then you might be considering dipping your toes into the world of social media marketing. If this is you then it is time to stop the consideration and start acting. Social media marketing is a booming industry in which businesses the world over can reap the rewards. The very fact you are not on social media is most likely doing your business more harm than good. So whether you run a refuse company, a fashion brand or a local bakery here are some ways social media traffic can help your business. 

Discover your business 

If people do not know about your business they will not become a customer of your business. Social media allows business owners to increase their visibility to potential customers. You can reach a wide audience base from your smartphone. What is more, it is free to create profiles on social media channels. 

Working example; 

You are a new e-commerce store offering your prized products. Setting up an online shop is not going to be enough to get noticed. You will not have the footfall of the physical stores and given the overwhelming number of online stores competing for attention yours is likely to get lost in the crowd. Unless you do something about it, social media is a great way to get your business name out there and build awareness. After all, your customers are spending hours a day scrolling socials so put yourself in their feed and get noticed. 

Showcase your business

Social media comes in many formats. You have the typical photo and comment style channels such as Instagram. The wholly visual video format of Tik Tok, or the perhaps more word-based literary channels of Linked In or even Facebook. The important thing is identifying the channel that is most relevant to you and your audience and using it to show off exactly what your business can offer. This can be by way of long-form articles, photos, or videos. Ultimately you can portray your company on the screens of potential customers however you see fit. 

Working example; 

You are a roofing company and you want to highlight the benefits of metal roof flashing and how your customers can benefit from it. In this example, you could take a picture or film the benefits of a metal roof flashing in action, i.e. guiding water and rain away from the roof and highlighting its weatherproofing abilities. Customers can visualize how this product would look and work for them and physically see the product and its benefits without just taking the word of the sales team. Let social media sell the product for you. 

Trust your business

Consumers today want to buy from a business they trust and social media provides you with a great outlet to build trust. You can use social media networks to engage with your customers, strike up conversations, tell the story of your brand and cultivate your brand’s tone and message. Don’t just use social media to advertise use it as a platform to be social with your customers and earn their trust. 

Working example

You are an ethical fashion retailer. Social media is the perfect place not only to showcase your clothes but to tell your eco-conscious story, and explain the ethos behind your brand, the passions, and reasons behind it. Share stories and useful articles with customers all the while promoting your ethos. Comment on other feeds and posts that are akin to the messages you are putting out and build respected and trusted relationships with other users. The customer base will soon follow.