Category: Social Media Stats

  • Small Business & Social Media Takeaways from The Index

    Small Business and Social Media

    Sprout Social Social Media Index Cover
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    A majority of the clients I work with own and run small businesses. Small business has many opportunities to capitalize on the power of social media but they arent sure how. When the Sprout Social Index Edition XV came out this year I knew it was the right report to break down to help these small businesses see the value of social media.

    Social Media is in a constant state of change. Everybody has their theories on what will happen next. These reports provide you with stats that support some opinions and actual trends that paint a picture of what is happening in the world of social media. As a content creator and social media manager, it is my job to take all of the information and see how it applies to what I am seeing with my clients. I generally walk away from one of these reports with at least a few takeaways, this time I was directing those takeaways towards small businesses.

    The Nuts and Bolts of the Index

    Nobody can deny the power and value of social media. As I mentioned earlier this year, social media touches almost every single aspect of a business. It is too big to ignore. It supports virtually any marketing objective, and moreover provides useful insights to teams outside of marketing. The team at Sprout Social surveyed over 1,000 social marketers and asked about their social goals, challenges, and expectations. They also surveyed 1,000 consumers to understand what people want from a brand on social media. The Index XV explores how social media and marketing teams can better use social data to drive success for bigger picture business goals. It also explores how to use customer insights and trends to improve social performance.

    Breaking It Down

    For this blog, I focused on a few of the findings that are relevant to the small businesses I tend to work with. When you view the report through that lens some different items stick out.  However, all the results are exciting and relevant. If you are interested in knowing more, I recommend getting your copy of the Index and digging in. And speaking of digging in, here we go!

    Marketers and Businesses Need to Dig Deeper to Understand the Audience

    Forty-three percent of all social marketers say a significant challenge is identifying and understanding their target audience. To address this concern, marketers turn to social data. Sprout Social explored what your audience wants, and I comment on some of the findings below.

    What Your Audience Wants

    Why do people follow your business on social media? What do they want to see from your company? To answer these questions, you need to understand how and why people use social media in the first place. While 50% of people follow a brand to find out about new products and services, almost as many (48%) follow a brand to be entertained. Other key reasons that a consumer follows a brand is to get up to date news, connect with others, to be educated, and to communicate with the brand.

    What Your Audience Does Not Want

    Equally crucial for businesses is to understand is what consumers do not want to see on social media. In business today, the customer experience is of the utmost importance. Delivering poor customer service, including being late to reply to a customer concern can be considered poor service. Poor service can result in an unfollow (read like a lost customer) for 56% of those asked. Your audience wants you to respond quickly, knowledgeably, and provide them with entertaining and informational content daily.

    Content Misfires

    Poor customer service is the number one reason to unfollow. However, posting irrelevant content, too many ads or too much promotional content can all result in a consumer unfollowing your brand. The importance of having a well-planned posting schedule is evident, and it must be robust with entertaining, useful, and educational content. A plan that does not merely focus on your products and services but adds value to the consumer. A social media calendar like with the aforementioned items is a great way to make sure what you are posting is not pushing customers away.

    Social Media Essential Post Framework

    Our framework for businesses on social media has addressed this since the beginning. The 9 Essential Posts for Businesses helps you create relevant content in 9 categories. It also serves as a reminder of the 80/20 Golden Rule of Social Media, 80% of your content should be informational and 20% of your content can be promotional. When used with a content calendar, a business can plan content and ensure that it is varied, tells a larger story, and engages the audience. Download your free copy of the 9 Essential Posts here to jumpstart your audience engagement.

    Social Media Accountability

    This report also made it clear that social media is a massive and essential job. Small businesses need to look at who is manning their social media daily. Are they equipped to answer customer questions? Are questions being responded to within an hour on your social media platforms? Have the correct answers been available? It is my opinion that businesses need to embrace new technology and dedicate capital to the task of engaging customers on social media. Look at chatbot options to serve as the front line and invest in a dedicated “position(s)” to manage social media every day. Social media is no longer a part-time job for the business owner. It is crucial for building an audience and growing your business.

    Potential Solutions 

    If your business can not afford to hire someone internally to manage your social media look at hiring an outside company to handle it. Make sure that the company you hire will be posting custom content that speaks to your brand. JRH Graphics specializes in delivering customized content to our clients. Another option for minimizing expenses and maximizing return is to look for interns at a local college to help you post and manage your daily social media presence. No matter what you do, we recommend upping the attention you pay to your social media. It will continue to be an integral part of your business.

    What Content Do Your Followers Like

    We know that your followers want to be inspired, entertained, educated and informed. The pattern is the same with the types of posts that a consumer will take action on. Sprout Social asked consumers what types of posts they are most likely to leave comments on or share, the answer was posts that entertained them. This is in line with what most social marketers consider to be effective; 50% of social marketers say entertaining and inspirational posts are the most efective in helping them reach their goals according to the Sprout Social findings.

    Consumers Want to Be Engaged and Entertained- Edutained As We Say at JRH Graphics 

    As you saw in the above chart above, posts that inspire, entertain, teach, and have a story are the most likely to create engagement. What is interesting is that consumers are engaging less and less with offers and coupons promising savings. While sales can attract consumer interest, entertaining, and inspiring posts get the most engagement. Both marketers and consumers supported this finding.

    People Want to Learn

    Creating posts that are engaging and entertaining and speak to your brand can be slightly overwhelming. But here are a few key things to keep in mind. Remember that you are the expert, share what you know in an engaging way. Use what you have around you when thinking about things to post, your company is unique highlight it. Look at what your competition is posting to get ideas, don’t flat out copy it, but research is ethical. Use your brand story and differentiators as guidance on what to post. Finally, use your team to deliver the message.

    Employee Advocacy to Shorten the Long Game

    Social media is part of the long game. You are building a loyal customer base that likes, knows, and trusts your business. One way to get your audience to like, know, and trust you sooner is if your employees like know and trust you. According to the Sprout Social report, almost three quarters (72%) of all social marketers use their employees as social media advocates. The report also revealed that forty-five percent of consumers say they are more likely to research a product or service when someone relatable, like an employee, posts about it. Using your employees as advocates helps you keep the content varied on your social. It also helps shorten the time it may take for a follower to become a faithful customer.

    Converting Followers to Customers

    Not every consumer is going to click the checkout button on the first go-round, and that’s okay. It is vital that you still invest in your followers online. Strengthening the connection you have with your followers can lead to more authentic interactions, more word of mouth referrals, and a loyal customer base. Merely looking at the actions consumers take when they follow a brand highlights some of the value they are bringing to the brand.

    Actions Followers Take with Your Brand

    Eighty-seven percent of consumers who follows a brand on social media will visit the brands’ website.  Seventy-eight percent of consumers visit the brands’ physical store, talk about the brand, or recommend the brand to friends and family. Finally, 77% of consumers will buy that brand over another. These are all substantial numbers that indicate a relationship that is worth nurturing. When it’s time to convert people into active buyers, social marketers should use a combination of discounts, product demonstrations, and educational content, Once again, it is the educational and informational content that is driving consumers forward in the customer journey.

    Brands Are Only Scratching the Surface of What Social Can Do

    Social media has so much unforeseen power, and you are in a position to experiment and see what else it can do. While sizeable social marketing firms are working to break down silos, you have the freedom to break down existing social barriers and see what lies on the other side. You have the benefit of seeing an opportunity on one day, and the next day be capitalizing on that opportunity. It is not necessary to chase after every wild idea that passes, but it does mean you have the chance to try new things. Based on what has worked in the past or what trends you are currently seeing.

    What Trends Could You Capitalize On

    From creating video content to building a community around your brand, the opportunities to get more out of social media are out there. An excellent place to start experimenting would be with those things your followers have requested. The end of the Sprout Social report provides you with some trends to watch out for in the future. How could you do more with live video, user-generated content, Instagram Stories, and creating a community around your brand?

    In Conclusion

    Social media is not going to disappear tomorrow. It will continue to expand before it disappears if it disappears. If you are a small business and you have not been investing in social media, the time is now. Get on the bus because it is about to pull out of the station. And for those of you who say, “I am good right now, I will start doing it if I see my sales slipping,” at that point, it is too late. The long game of social media will have passed you by then.

    I am not saying that you need to come by my office and sign up for a social media management or content creation package immediately. Although we do things differently and would have a package that fits your needs. What I am advocating is that you do more to increase your reach. It is time to tap into the power of social media for your business.

    Sprout Social Social Media Index Cover
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    All Stats and some inspiration provided by the team at SproutSocial Download Your Copy of the Sprout Social Index Today!

  • 2019 Social Media Stats and Best Practices

    2019 Social Media Stats and Best Practices

    We recently took a look at some of the top social media stats for 2019. We wanted to see what the numbers were telling us about the state of social media and social media marketing. From this, we decided on some key areas new businesses could focus on. To round it all out, we added in some best practices. If you are just starting to promote your business via social media, or want to revise your strategy… here is a good place to start!

    Before The Stats, Let’s Review Some Basics

    First, and foremost a basic that is often times forgotten. The goal of social media is not to sell. Your goal is to engage followers with content that fills a need. The 80/20 Rule is the Golden Rule of Social Media. It states that 80% of what you post should be informational, educational and entertaining. Only 20% should be promotional.

    Some additional guidelines include making sure that your company story is relatable. Only Posting Content that is Brand Appropriate, and being authentic and true to your brand. We even encourage you to be a little bit funny but remember humor can be tricky. Make sure you will not offend anyone and always be polite.

    Following these basic rules will ensure that you are creating and distributing quality content that adds value to your followers and your business. Now, let’s get on with the show…. errr one-minute mini video, read fast!

    Planning and Organization

    Reviewing the tips in that quick video, I am reminded of the importance of proper planning and scheduling. There is no other way to ensure a strong social media presence. Without planning you will not be able to ensure that your content fully aligns with your brand.  It will be impossible to be sure you are presenting posts that are cohesive across all platforms. Planning also allows you to schedule a well-rounded selection of posts that “Edutain” your followers. Are you looking for the best things to post about on Social Media as a Business? Take A Look at our 9 Essential Posts Blog and if you want you can even grab a Free Copy of Our 9 Essential Posts for Businesses Worksheet.

    We recommend creating a social media planning calendar and regularly updating it with key campaigns, events and other occurrences that will impact your business. Then organize your posts making sure that they are appropriate for the time of year. Review it regularly to ensure the content you are presenting is varied and adds value. Social media management software such as Hootsuite and HeyOrca (if you need approvals or are running multiple accounts) also have great tools that will help you plan, stay organized and post regularly to all your platforms.

    Numbers Don’t Lie

    Now, let’s dig into the numbers. They say numbers don’t lie. I have tried to prove this theory wrong, and while I have successfully gotten people to agree that numbers may not tell the full story we have to stop short of saying they lie. What are some of the social media stats telling us and how can we adjust our strategy to expand on successes or compensate for shortfalls?

    We selected three areas to discuss. First, how to stand out in a crowded marketplace of 2 Billion. Then we took a look at some of the social selling stats and provided some tips on this “trend” that isn’t going to go away. Finally, we take a look at the importance of serving your customer through your social media platforms.

    2 Billion Users and Counting

    Social media continues to become more ingrained in our daily lives. More people are accessing at least one social media platform every day. More businesses are using social media to reach customers. Facebook, which is still the largest social media platform, alone has 2 billion active users. Facebook also has 65 million active business pages.

    The landscape is crowded and a tremendous amount of content is being added every single day. 100 million pictures and videos are uploaded every day to Instagram. If you are not creating quality content for both your feed and your stories you will be forgotten. Quality content is content that engages followers, has the potential to go viral and is representative of your company. Failing to create quality content and share it regularly will result in less brand awareness, engagement will continue to fall and the cost of doing business on social media will rise.

    Stand Out In The Crowd

    It is easy for your posts to get lost on social media nowadays. Stock photos, overly generic copy, fake authenticity, and recycled posts will not get you noticed. Flashy misleading headlines and fake promises will get you blocked. In order to avoid these pitfalls make sure your content makes sense for your brand and is adding value. Think about your audience and what they need that you can offer, then give it to them.

    Posts that include user-generated content are more likely to engage followers. Encourage followers, customers, employees, brand ambassadors, influencers and friends, and family to engage with your company on social media. Build relationships with those who engage with you on social media, keep a short list of likes and dislikes and notify them if you see something you are certain they will love. A little effort like this goes a long way and will be noticed. Look into possible collaborations. Befriend an Influencer. And lastly, create more video content. Video is still hot and people are more likely to engage with it.

    When you see numbers over a billion it’s natural to feel like its a mountain you will never climb. The beauty of social is that success is built one story at a time, and one customer at a time. Take the time to cultivate the relationships and you will begin to climb that mountain.

    Increase in Social Selling

    Followers being inspired to purchase an item because of something they saw on social media or discovering a new item that they want to purchase on social media is great news for businesses that have items to sell online. Customers are growing more accustomed to the concept of social selling and feel more comfortable making purchases via social media.  These stats also reflect the availability of new features in Instagram and Facebook that allow companies to directly link products to posts, the rise of influencer marketing, and increased visibility on social media for startups.

    If you are selling products and have an online store, I recommend getting social selling up and running, as I don’t see this trend going away anytime soon. As a matter of fact, stats like 49% of people say that the availability of easy payment options like ApplePay or GooglePay on social media platforms would increase the likelihood of them making a purchase and 50% of Gen Z view social media as the most relevant advertising channel suggest we will be looking at social selling for a long time.

    Once you have the basics set up you can directly link to your products in posts, your Facebook page can have an up to date shop section with all of your products. You can feature products directly on your Facebook page. JRH Graphics has a Facebook store and regularly links to items in his IG posts and Stories.

    Are you already utilizing social selling for your company, please share your best practices, we would love to hear from you!

    Serving Customers via Social Media

    With the rise of social selling, users utilizing social media to research products, and the fact that 45% of consumers go to social media first if they have a question or an issue about a product or brand it is clear that social media is no longer just a marketing platform. Social media is now another storefront and another chance to make a first impression. Your social media is part of your customers’ journey and one part of the omnichannel experience they will have with your company.

    The Other 12%?

    88% of social marketers believe it is important to serve customers via social media platforms. My question is what are the other 12% thinking? Social media is part of your customer journey, it is where they go to research your products, buy your products, and see if they have a friend that has used your product. If you are not available on social media to assist someone who wants your product YOU LOST A SALE!

    Social media is a storefront and it is a storefront that needs to be manned. Whoever is managing the interactions needs to be well versed in your product and policies and has to be able to answer questions in a timely manner.

    Social media is a chance at a first impression, and a way to continue telling your story. Your social media needs to reflect your brand and your story. Your social media should be easily recognizable. If I go to your store, your website, your social media platforms it should all be connected.

    A bad experience on social media could end a relationship with a company. Just take a second to think about this stat. 51% of people would unfollow a brand if they posted irritating content.

    Still thinking? Yeah, you got it you lost a follower, you lost a customer! Their customer journey just ended because of something you posted on Instagram. Ouch. This is equal to a customer having a bad interaction at your store.

    A Stat That Drives Home the Point: Social Media Can Not Be Ignored

    That one statistic alone drove home a very important point for me. Your social media platforms are equal to your store, your website, and the interactions that your customers have with you. Social media is no longer something for the marketing team to worry about, it is as big of a big picture item as anything, and it can’t be ignored.We reviewed the stats, made a few suggestions and we hope you have some jumping off points. If you need help coming up with a plan that works for your business please reach out to us here at JRH Graphics. We would love to help you craft your story, engage new followers, and build your business.Sources

    Social Media Today 

    Sprout Social 

    Hootsuite

     

     

     

  • Crystal Ball 2018: Predictions for Social Media in the New Year

    Our Crystal Ball Predictions for Social Media and Social Media Marketing?

    Here at JRH Graphics, we actually hate predictions. AKA a random guess! But content planning is important. So, we took a look at our crystal ball (the internets) and tried to assess the social media predictions for 2018. The perusal of articles and posts by talented writers and companies and helped us compile this list. Including some of what we believe will happen based on these trends and what we are seeing ourselves. We want to help you manage your social media. Make smart plans. And slay the year so here is what we think (aka guess)!The TrendThe PredictionsTakeaway

    Instagram Killing it With Stories

    Instagram Stories will continue to capitalize on the successes of 2017 and will continue to gain popularity. Stories are just over 1 year old, yet over 200 million users utilize the feature monthly. More than the number of users on Snapchat, plus with opportunities to tie in e-commerce the future looks bright for Instagram Stories.If you are not already using stories to engage followers then it is time to start using them. Stories are a great way to provide followers and non-followers with an exclusive behind the scenes look of your brand, tell your story and engage customers and potential customers. Check out some tips here!

    The Customer Experience from Start to Finish

    The customer experience throughout the entire life-cycle is incredibly important. Your brand is built on the experiences that customers have. This could be anything from in-store customer service experience, to seeing your items at a local reseller or seeing one of your business’s posts Facebook. Every interaction impacts brand! 

    Creating a great experience for the customer is more likely to help you gain brand loyalists. Negative online experiences, bad customer service,  late delivery of an order, or inconsistent messaging can all hurt your business and they WILL NOT USE YOUR BUSINESS AGAIN. Make no mistake they have other choices.

    No customers = no brand loyalists = no champions of your brand = fewer customer = fewer sales = bye bye businessLock this one down in 2018. Make sure all your employees.  Anyone with customer contact.  Or anyone who creates a policy that will impact a customer. KNOWS THAT THE CUSTOMER COMES FIRST. Create a loyalty program to reward followers and customers. Encourage and reward feedback from customers that post reviews (good or bad). Pay attention to these reviews. You can be certain your customers are reading them. Go Above and Beyond. Everyday. All Day. Until it hurts!

    Content Creation Still Remains Incredibly Important

    What kind of content are you creating? Is it informative? Entertaining yet educational? Is your content unique to your brand and offer greater insight for your followers?

    An overwhelming 70% of people said they’d rather learn about a business via an article instead of an advertisement. Content marketing is cheaper than regular marketing and drives more leads so content marketing will continue to grow. Blog posts, infographics, video, live stream, stories, photos, articles, and so on is all part of content marketing.

    Content creation. Is hard.  It is even harder to do when running your business.  If you don’t have time, consider outsourcing your content creation or certain aspects of your social media to a local company focused on your growth like JRH Graphics. Find the company that meets your content creation needs!

    Great Job Getting On Social and Creating Content But What’s Next?

    Oh c’mon you knew this was going to happen!! In 2017, there were more than 50 million small businesses using social media pages to interact with their customers. Great. Many of these businesses are creating content to educate and inform customers. Awesome.

    But, many consumers are starting to get tired of sponsored or branded content and are skipping over it! Well, shit! Consumers are going to outside sources to get information not directly to brands. Brands are going to need to create more content with independently verifiable information and sources in order for this content to gain traction and help market.Now what? Stop creating content? No continue creating content but use stats and specifics that apply to more than just your company. Share content that can be verified independently. Pro Tip: Look at how you are collaborating, is it possible that one of your past collaborators would be able to create valuable content.

    Get Your Toolkit Today and Start Planning:  Collaboration Toolkit & Pre-Collab Worksheet

    Influencer Marketing Goes Micro

    Over 90% of marketers that utilize influencer marketing believe that it is successful and with traditional marketing continuing to struggle with social more and more companies are likely to move towards this form of marketing. But Influencer Marketing is stepping away from mega-influencers who represent multiple brands.

    Mega-Influencers or spokespeople are not where companies are getting a return on investment. This is why Influencer Marketing is starting to go micro. Followers and consumers are looking for actual people within a community that has invested and real followers.If you are already engaging with influencers are you getting the return on investment you should be? Have you looked at other options or begun to look at the opportunities that may be available from micro-influencers or brand advocates. Also look to create a community around your brand and make sure your influencers are a part of that community. PRO TIP: Don’t end your relationship with an influencer at the end of a contract. Continue to engage!

    Rise of Augmented Reality

    Both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X have ground-breaking new chips that allow for extraordinary augmented reality experiences. Social Media is likely to incorporate some of these features for their platforms as soon as possible and will likely look for innovative ways to do so. Possible early uses include selfie filters with celebrities or brands having the ability to project products into our homes. What other possibilities do you see from this trend?Small businesses should actively observe what is happening with augmented reality as it develops. It is likely that large companies will be the first to jump on this trend but as social media platforms change and include this technology look to see if it makes sense for you to utilize.

    Gen Z Enters the Workforce

    The impact of the Gen Z generation is about to be felt with marketers as these 22-year-olds are about to enter the workforce. As they step into the workforce and they will gain more buying power and become more important to organizations. We just got used to millennials but its time to change again.

    Engagement on platforms where Gen Z resides will be key. How are they engaging with companies and changing the way you do business?Actively observe the developments and pay attention to trends here. Small businesses may have a bit more time to react to Gen-Z, but start looking for opportunities now. Key platforms will include YouTube, Live Streaming Sites, and possibly still some Snapchat. Key practices will include transparency and authenticity.

    It’s Going to Be All About Live

    Live messaging apps and live streaming are going to become more ingrained in the mainstream. Over 2.5 billion people are utilizing live messaging apps and live streaming is making up a large part of video content consumed. Brands will need to begin looking at options to engage on these live apps when followers are looking for them.Live gives businesses many opportunities to show off the behind the scenes, tell a story, give followers special benefits and to be unscripted. Live messaging is a good place to begin working with bots, but don’t forget the human touch!

    So, What Do You Think?

    Those are some of the trends we believe will be dominating social media this upcoming year, based on our readings, and what we are seeing with our clients. We invite you to share your thoughts throughout the year below! To read some of the articles we read and to draw tour own conclusions then please visit these links.

    Forbes: Social Media 2018

    Hootsuite: 2018 Social Media Trends 

    https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/300813

    Socialmediatoday: Trends to Watch Out For in 2018 

  • Discounting Your Customers: The Customer Experience v. Vanity Metrics

    What Moment will Define Your Customers Experience with Your Business

    Faces Get Likes

    The stat included above shows a very simple social media concept… faces get likes! But many times likes are viewed as a vanity metric, with good reason. But as a business owner, it is incredibly important to be aware that those vanity metrics that we may be discounting are our potential customers.

    Vanity Metrics?

    As I was looking for some content to support the statistic above and to see what I wanted to say when I posted it and I found myself wadding into a soupy mess of negativity about “collecting likes for likes” or “vanity metrics.” Plus lots of folks ranting about how stupid social media interaction is in general. I spent far too long spiraling downward into this mess and found myself downright angry. I get the idea of vanity metrics, yes you should always aim for valuable deeper interactions with followers.

    Your end game should always be creating customers for life but that relationship needs to start somewhere.

    But c’mon people lets be real here the customer (who we will call Becky) to the business relationship has to start somewhere. Maybe Becky just stumbled upon your page and thought one of your posts was cool. Becky Double taps. What if Becky was the only one that liked your post? What would you do? Discount Becky with the mentality of likes don’t matter and move on?

    Don’t Discount Becky

    No, a smart business owner would have brought on someone to handle social media at least part-time and made sure that Becky was engaged. That has the potential to start a relationship.

    “Thanks for the like @Becky, we have tons more of these in store we hope you come in and check them out soon.

    Becky sees that comment on her way to work and it makes her smile, unfortunately, she has a crazy busy week and didn’t respond. But Becky smiled and maybe that relationship is budding because she wanted to respond back and see where the store was located but life got crazy.

    Sadly, this time Becky lost track of this company, couldn’t remember the name but really wanted to check them out when life calmed down.

    Another Chance to Begin the Customer Relationship

    Three months later while on vacation Becky again stumbles upon another cute post from this company and she is happily reunited and quickly double taps before throwing here iPhone onto her lounge chair where it took an awkward bounce and landed in the deep end of the pool.

    Poor @Becky just a poor discounted customer “like” on the sale rack.But while on vacation, Becky met her future husband and they bonded over wet iPhones and they both loved social media, and how he also ran a small business and he was looking for creative people to partner with.

    The  Customer/ Business Relationship Finally Begins for Becky

    A little Instagram stalking and they find the post that Becky liked, he loves the same post, he follows the company. When he returns, he send a DM and sets up a meeting. Becky finally gets to see the store and thrilled with all the quirky offerings! She buys 20 items for friends and family that Christmas. She knows they will love them.

    See where this is going?

    Yeah, the store is about to have a lot of new customer relationships!  19 of the 20 recipients of the gifts from Becky love the items. They get and can’t wait to visit this new found treasure.  When they all visit over the next few months they all buy items to take to friends! Becky’s friend Becky actually has her bridal shower in the store. Sales are up 200% that year and the social media manager lands a full-time gig with an assistant to help!Ok, I know what’s my point: My point is Becky’s like was easy but it was a start, as a business owner I don’t know where my next meal may come from. I don’t know if that one like is a gateway. Be aware of your mindset and tone of conversations about social media metrics. Each one of those likes could be a new customer for life if they feel valued; discount them and they will find someone else to take money from them

  • If you are not on social, you are not in the game!

    Some Stats to Think About

    Only 74% of small businesses use Social Media

    26% still do not use social media,

    28% just started using social media in 2016.

    90% of small businesses surveyed are only on Facebook

    41% actively engage followers and share content daily!

    Source: https://clutch.co/agencies/social-media-marketing/resources/small-business-2017-survey#important

    Now compare that with the statistic that 44% of American’s believe that it’s important for institutions they engage with to have a strong social media presence.

    Small Businesses on Social Media

    It is time for small businesses to step up and decide to be a part of the social marketplace. Failure to commit resources to social media is negatively impacting your business right now. You may not be seeing the effects of it but your market reach is shrinking. More people begin to adopt social media across all demographics. In order to be a brand people decide they want, you need to be a part of the conversation. This conversation is happening on social media! Here are just some stats to support the importance of being on the right social media platforms:

    Of those who have been using social media for at least 1 year, 63% found it useful for building a loyal fan base.

    Almost 90% of marketers say their social marketing efforts have increased exposure for their business, and 75% say they’ve increased traffic

    More than 50% of marketers who have been implementing social media marketing tactics for two years have reported improved sales

    Things I Want

    Now as a small business owner myself, I want to have increased exposure, a loyal customer base, increased traffic and of course improved sales. These all help improve the bottom line, which is one of the most important things for maintaining a business. Not mentioned here for those not as concerned about profit. Being active on social also increases your reach allowing you to have a greater positive impact on more people.

    So Now that we all agree that you need to get into the game in order to be successful, how do you actually get in the game!

     How Do I Get in the Game

    1. Pay attention to your ideal demographic.

    Where do they live their social media lives? Are you after the 18-30-year-old female, Facebook, and Pinterest or Facebook and Instagram may be your wheelhouse. If they live their social lives on these platforms then you are more likely to engage them by posting and creating content within their social sphere that is informative and educational, as I always like to say you are aiming to edutain. I challenge you to pick and maintain two platforms regularly engaging customers.

    2. Define your brand and stay consistent

    Be Consistent with your brand on all your social media platforms on your website and in your physical location. Your brand is more than just your colors and your logo although they do help identify you online. Your brand identity includes what you stand for, how you do business, taglines, verbiage, and images that you use. All of this should a support your brand definition.

    3.But Why Your Brand?

    Once you have defined your brand, you then need to show customers why your brand is different. Why should they choose you over the other options? This is where you can really win on social media. A good starting point for any brand is identifying what the features of the products you offer. Then decide and highlight benefits customers can gain from those features and how they are different from your competitors. This is a much more in-depth topic that I will explain more deeply in a future blog post.

    4. Create a Schedule and Stick to It

    Post regularly and consistently for a long period of time. On top of posting of content, engage your customers, respond to every comment and thank them for being loyal customers with special promotions. Make them feel special and like they matter to you and your business because they should.

    5. Blog

    Here is an advanced tactic you should move to as soon as possible and that is to BLOG REGULARLY AND WITH EXPERTISE! I personally blog because I have opinions and I want people to listen to me! but any business should have a blog on their website where they are actively blogging and then sharing this created content with followers via social media.

    But any business should have a blog on their website where they are actively blogging and then sharing this created content with followers via social media. This helps define you as an expert in your field it helps you differentiate your business and it helps build customers for life. Customers value your knowledge and build a relationship with you when you provide valuable information to them that they can use.

    Yes, blogging can be difficult but think of your blog as the Thanksgiving turkey, then think of your social media posts as the turkey sandwiches. You can get a solid 10 social media posts from one well-written blog post that is chock full of information!

    6. Think About Standing Out

    Finally, take the time to think about how you and your brand can stand out on social media! What can you do that will capture the attention of others and set you apart in a positive way. How can you stand out? Better pictures? Cooler presentation? Eye-catching layouts? Bright colors? Hilarious captions? Being an educator? Being a great collaborator? Whatever it is that makes you stand out, whatever you believe is the biggest differentiator is your gold! Make sure you have content behind it but if you stand out and support that with real-life tangible things your followers will benefit from then you WIN because you captured them (standing out) and kept them (by engaging with great content)!

    So the challenge is to research what platforms you should be on for the most bang for your buck, then define your brand, and begin posting consistently for a long period of time. Provide useful and entertaining information to customers, not just a sales pitch, and finally begin to blog.

    If this is too much then look for some help around your town many small business offices offer classes on social media, I personally offer tools and calendars along with posting materials, many at low cost. There are also many tools on the Internet and Social Media Managers like myself that can help you tap into the social media economy.

    If you need help please reach out and we will get a plan together for you! Or get a free 30-minute Social Media Consultation Call!

  • Sales & Engagement Up Due To Social Media Marketing

    Social Media Marketing is Increasing Sales and Engagement

    A recent report released by Social Media Examiner indicated that 74% of businesses using Social Media as a marketing tool saw an increase in sales. 91% saw an increase in engagement. But do these numbers tell the whole story?

    The Gap in the Numbers

    It takes time to develop meaningful relationships that lead to sales. Your followers may not be ready to make a purchase quite yet. They may have no intention of buying something. But they can still be loyal followers. Even if they aren’t buying from you right now keep the long term in mind. Treat them with respect. Provide them useful information. Entertain (or edutain as I like to say). That formula allows you to potentially have a loyal customer for life.

    The amount of time someone has been doing social media marketing also plays a role in the time utilized and success.

    A large percentage of marketers now know that you do not see immediate results with social media marketing. For example, more than half of marketers who’ve been using social media for more than 2 years report it helped them improve sales. More than half who spend 6 or more hours per week find the same results. 74% of those who spend 40+ hours per week earn new business through their efforts.

    Businesses Not Seeing An Increase

    What if you are on the opposite end of the spectrum? 48% of all marketers taking this survey report that social media has not helped them improve sales. Do these marketers have the tools needed to directly track sales? Many companies have gaps in their customer journey. This leads to being unable to truly track the actual impact of social media marketing on sales.

    Visibility and Exposure for Your Business

    What about increased exposure (getting more people in front of your profile and brand). The vast majority of marketers (91%+) indicated their social media efforts increased exposure for their businesses. Nearly all marketers (88%+) who’ve been employing social media marketing for 1 year or longer report it generates exposure for their business. So the challenge then becomes converting those followers to shoppers.

    Social Media is Not A Get Rich Quick Scheme

    Combine the right plan of attack with someone with experience managing your social platforms. Add in some great content and you can see success. Just remember building an audience and establishing yourself as an authority takes time. Stay in it for the long haul.