You managed to score your business name’s Instagram handle, you set up the business account… Now what? Being faced with a blank slate can be as intimidating as it is exciting.
The bright side is, building your social media when your business is new doesn’t have to be complicated. In this post, we’re sharing the ways you can start your social media presence off on the right foot and set yourself up for success with your long-term marketing goals.
Optimize your profile
Users on social media have a notoriously short attention span and will pass over anything that doesn’t quickly capture their attention, so make it easy for them to know who you are.
When your audience lands on your profile, you want to make a good first impression. Your profile should be very clear what your business is, how you can be contacted and where you can be found.
At a minimum, your profile should include a clear, high quality profile image, a bio that states what you do and what sets your business apart and a link to your website.
To learn more about optimizing for specific social media channels, check out our posts below:
Be consistent and post high quality content
When building a social media following, consistently sharing high quality content from the beginning will have a big impact on attracting a following of interested customers that want to stick around to see what you post next.
Create a content plan
A content plan is your road map to social media success. Having one makes content creation easier and takes the guesswork out of what to post. This allows you to post consistently and keep you fresh in your audience’s mind.
A content plan should include your social media goals, what type of content you want to share and when and finally something like a calendar or spreadsheet to keep track of it all. A good content plan allows you to create a repeatable process for sustainable content creation.
Post high quality content
Of course quality content looks better in your social feeds but it has other benefits too. High quality content lands better with your audience and makes your brand more memorable. When done strategically, your content will position you as an authority in your field and build trust.
Here are some post ideas to stand out to your customers:
Colorful and vibrant eye-catching photos
Share a little known fact about your industry
Educate your audience so they feel empowered to purchase from you
Show the behind the scenes of how you do what you do
Customer testimonials and reviews
After you draw them in with attractive photos and graphics, use captions to draw them in and engage with your posts.
Keep in mind these 4 C’s when creating your social media marketing plan.
Clear: Is your message clear and on topic?
Concise: Are you sticking to the point?
Compelling: Is your content inspiring or attention-grabbing?
Creative: Does your content look and sound good?
Bonus C: Call to action! A call to action (CTA) tells your audience what to do next after reading your content. Some common CTAs include: “Comment below!”, “Book an appointment now.”, “Head to the link in my bio.”
Ripl has everything you need to create high quality, branded content within minutes. With Ripl, you can create social media posts and more to showcase your brand and product. Ripl makes it easy to create content that helps your social channels stand out. Check out the latest collections in the Ripl app and start creating today!
Use hashtags strategically
Hashtags are a great tool for discoverability and to get more eyes on your content. Social media platforms use them to categorize conversations and similar content together.
While it might be tempting to use the most obvious hashtags related to your content, there are some drawbacks to relying solely on those. With other users on social media doing the same thing, your posts will quickly become lost in a sea of other similar posts.
Instead, try using more niche and specific hashtags that have less competition. Strategically using these types of hashtags helps your content stand out and be more evergreen.
To build your hashtag strategy, check out our do’s and don’ts of hashtags.
Engage with your audience and community
One of the most rewarding aspects of being a small business owner is the ability to make more personal connections with your customers. It’s important to carry this mindset over into your social media marketing strategy. Remember, social media is meant to get social!
A best practice is to think of your social media presence as an extension of your business. How can you provide a positive customer experience? What kinds of questions do you commonly need to address?
Get social with your customers
Your customers want to hear from you! 77% of shoppers say they feel more connected to a brand if they are able to contact it directly to ask questions or provide feedback. Not only is it important to respond to questions promptly but responding to comments can go a long way! Not to mention, quick turnaround is favored by the algorithm.
An added bonus of interacting more with your customers is that it can also inspire more content creation!
Collaborate with other small businesses
Partnering with other businesses opens up opportunities for cross promotion and is mutually beneficial. Contests, giveaways and even social media takeovers are unique and fun ways to get your audience excited and engaged.
Think of complementary businesses that your customers would love to see or other local small businesses. When in doubt, refer to the tip above and ask your customers what they want!
Have fun!
Don’t forget to have fun with your social media!
Remember that your social media account will grow and evolve over time just as your business does. Don’t let a fear of perfection or not knowing everything stop you from posting and building your following.
