Make Social Media Work for Your Business

Nowadays, the number of people with Social Media account is increasing and for small businesses this opens up new opportunities to market and engage with customers.

Before a business can even attempt to create a Facebook page, launch a Twitter account or post photos to Pinterest, it must have a basic understanding of social media and how it can be of benefit. If you’re a small business owner trying to market online, here are some important tips to get you started:

Start with an online strategy. A website is only as good as the people who visit it. One of the most important steps a small business should consider when developing an online presence is establishing a strategy for directing people to their website.

Carrie Shaw, head of marketing at Rogers Outrank, an online marketing solution for small businesses, says: “Every business needs some kind of web presence, whether it’s a website, a blog, a Facebook page or all of the above. But let me emphasize that none of these will do a business any good if there is no traffic directed to them. The two most common strategies to do so are paid search and SEO (search engine optimization), and I would recommend both.”

Engagement, not sales. On the surface, social media marketing seems pretty simple. You create an account, post updates about your products, services or company growth and reap the rewards.

Not so fast. In order to see success, think about your audience first. How can you create and share the kind of stuff they’re going to love? Social media marketing is not just about plugging products. Engagement is the key factor here, and that requires more than just pushing your sales pitch. It means developing content that is valuable and offers insight to your prospective and current customers.

Respond to customers online. Providing great customer service on social media is one of the most foolproof ways to win the goodwill of your customers and community. That means responding to the questions and comments of your followers – whether they’re posting directly to your Facebook wall, mentioning you on Twitter, or commenting on one of your blog posts.

Staying connected to your clients and audience through social media has become easier with the latest mobile devices and solutions. Investing in tablets and smartphones with data plans from Rogers, says Shaw, will make sure you are always engaged and responsive, even when you’re on-the-go.

More information on how to win a complete office technology makeover for your small business can be found online at www.rogers.com/smallbusiness.

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