If you own a small business, you are probably involved in at least one (or many) aspects of SEO (search engine optimisation). You are probably already aware of the necessity of informative articles, blogs, forum posts, and back linking. What you may not be aware of is the impact that social media or social networking sites have on your goal of bring in more business. In many cases, the use of various social media has nearly replaced that of blogging.
People Tweet or use their Facebook status updates as ways to engage existing and potential customers. Sites like YouTube, Flickr, Twitter and the fast-growing Facebook can help you engage your clients like never before. For many small business owners, the task seems a bit overwhelming; trying to keep up on all of these sites takes valuable time away from you doing business. It is time for many to go back to school and learn a few valuable lessons on the benefits of using social media for your small business.
Lesson 1 - Video
You don’t need a professional camera crew and a big budget to create video that will engage your customers. An inexpensive camera, some creativity and personality can go a long way. People today want to put a face with your company. Your face. Testimonials from other clients posted to your YouTube account are easy to do, make the client on camera feel important and garners trust with others. Engage the public’s imagination and emotions and you have a better chance of engaging them in a business deal. Be honest and forthright and you can build trust with potential clients.
Lesson 2 - Backstory
In the competitive markets that exist today, people can find a great deal at any number of places. They can usually find the same product with other businesses as well. What you need to do is make them aware of your business and why they should choose you. This is where your backstory is helpful. You are your company. Customers like to hear stories about who you are and why you do what you do. Successfully lace your story throughout your online presence to gain favour and become memorable.
Lesson 3 - Consistency
Work smart, not necessarily hard. There are a variety of ways you can do this in social media. The thing you must remember is to be consistent; you need to interact on a daily basis. This doesn’t mean that you must spend hours per day on each of the sites you utilise, but it does mean that you should spend some time each and every business day involved in some form of interaction. The number of times people think of you relates directly to the number of times you have put your name in front of them. To save you time and frustration, look into linking your social media accounts. For example, when you put up a new video on YouTube, ‘share’ it and have it posted on your Twitter account and in turn have your Twitter account update your Facebook page.
As social media grows and evolves you will be faced with new trials and opportunities and as a result school will never be out. So grab a camera, put a face on your company and go interact with the world