How To Get Your Business On Social Media

So you've decided that you want to strengthen your presence on social media for your business. That's an overall good move. According to Statista (https://www.statista.com/statistics/273476/percentage-of-us-population-with-a-social-network-profile/), as of 2020, about 223 million people in the USA used social media. Perhaps you want to increase the number of eyes that see your channel that will lead to more awareness about your products or services and lead ultimately to more sales. But how do you use social media for your brand?

Here are a few suggestions.

Think about your content. You need high quality, attention-grabbing visuals to make social media users stop and take notice. We at Artform Design & Studio can help you with that. Whether this is your first time to venture into producing well-photographed, curated, super-styled photos or you want to shake up the look associated with your brand, we can help you with the process.

Consider your audience. Who is your buyer? Think about the person you want to reach, that person with whom you want to connect with through your social media account(s). Is there a certain age, gender, ethnicity that you envision? You may be tempted to say "everyone"--and sure, the ideal is to have each person become a customer. But targeted marketing will help you create posts that will appeal to the demographic that can turn views to buys.

Choose your channel. There are many different channels now available to you. But among your many options, especially when you are just dipping your toe into the social media ocean, you need to be discriminating in starting one. There are several reasons for this: (1) It is easy to be overwhelmed with maintaining many social media accounts; (2) You may be distracted from your goal of reaching out to and establishing relationships with your followers; (3) Your clients are not on all social media, so why are you? Examine how your goals align with what each social media channel offers and start with one or two accounts where you have a well-defined presence.

Find your voice. Social media is potent because it allows business owners like yourself to take on a distinctive persona and communicate on a very personal level with your clients. But without defining your voice, this may work against you. Your social media voice is not your own voice--it is the voice of your brand. So that, even if you, personally, may change your mood depending on how good a night's sleep you had, your clients depend on your brand's voice to be consistent. Are you savvy and knowledgeable or are you playful and naughty? Find your brand voice and keep it consistent. When you know your brand well, your customers will be more comfortable in establishing a closer relationship with you--that not only means brand loyalty but brand advocacy too.

Make your CTA clear. Your goal is, of course, to sell. This does not mean that you need to overtly sell with every post that you make. But all of the content that you publish should work toward that. You can post about people, places, and other companies or personalities that inspire and influence you. You can also talk about the utility of your products or the many advantages of soliciting your services. Even if it's just a "like"--a call to action means that your audience is engaged. And that's a good thing.

Plan your postings. Customers may think of their favorite brands as friends. As such, they would like to see you posting content consistently, not just when the mood strikes. A social media calendar will help you to schedule your posts. This will not only serve as a reminder to you, but also help give you ideas about what to post and when. Is Black Friday coming up? Rise above all the sale offers with some eye-popping visuals to go with your announcement. What about Mother's Day? Touch your customers' (and their moms' emotions) by activating a loving post.

Reach out and collaborate. The "social" in social media not only lets you reach out to potential customers but to possible collaborators as well. By doing so, you can make mutually beneficial partnerships to increase your stats, your sales, and, who knows, even your real-life friends. The business environment today lets small businesses complement each other or even small and big businesses to work together in synchrony. You just need to study the pros and cons carefully and find partnerships that will work for you while letting you still be true to yourself.

Find influencers. You don't need a big budget to reap the benefits of influencer marketing. Influencers are helpful, especially for niche markets, to reach more of your target audience. We'll talk about this in another blog post, but suffice it to say that when you find an influencer who resonates with your business, chances are, they will also resonate with your target market. And tapping into that rising number-of-followers resource is good for your social media presence and your business.

Make a stand. Gone are the days when businesses only existed to make a buck. You should show your followers what it is your business believes in: whether it's to show that you practice social responsibility or support an advocacy, or to show the values you hold as a company--all of these contribute to the reputation that your clients will buy into. When they see that your beliefs and convictions align with theirs, they will see in you an ally, and as a consequence, be more inclined to support your business.

Artform Design & Studio can help you realize your creative imaginings! It is not just a venue where you can take well-lit, beautiful photographs. We have an in-house team of visual merchandising and design experts with whom you can consult--even from putting together a brand and style guide to implementing it and making your ideas come to fruition! Schedule an appointment to tell us all about your business and your audience, and we'll come up with something that will fit your needs, your budget, and reach out to make your customers click!