Tips for Using Social Media in Your Small Business

When a small business engages in social media, they must create a strategy to ensure their efforts will be worthwhile and will make sure that each tweet, post, update, and comment fall within their brand guidelines. As a small business, you will want to make sure that the strategy you employ will place you in the best possible position to grow online, and will help you avoid the pitfalls that can negatively affect your company.

When on social media, your small business should make sure to:

Integrate Your Existing Marketing Efforts

By integrating your marketing efforts, you will ensure that your message stays consistent throughout all your marketing activities.

Automatically Post to Various Sites

Save time by reducing the number of times you must visit each site you post to. Use an application such HootSuite to schedule your posts to multiple sites with minimal work.

Remain Professional at All Times

Social media encourages an informal setting for communicating. It is important that each employee understands that their online conduct reflects on the company. Employees should conduct themselves in a fun, but professional manner.

Engage With Your Audience

Use social media to communicate and engage with your audience. Be sure to assess your resources in order to avoid stretching your resources too thin, and only dedicate your efforts to those sites in which you will be able to routinely participate.

Become an Industry Leader

Each of your posts should be well thought out. By adding quality content and by being consistent in your positive message, you will be seen as an industry expert.

Don't Give Too Much Away

If you give away too much information, your connections will no longer need to purchase your service. Save your most valuable information for your paying clients.