Small Businesses today are faced with intense competition no matter what industry they are in! Every day a new small competitor in the same space pops up, or a large corporation offers a similar option at a deeper discount! Truly there is competition at every turn! Often small business owners lack the time, resources, and knowledge to know how to stand out from the crowd. In turn hindering their ability to become the chosen brand by consumers. Showcasing a brands personality through entertaining, and educational content on social media, can drive brand engagement with an intended audience. Further developing a relationship with their consumer.
While there are many ways a brand can stand out from the crowd, my favorite will always be social media. Social media gives brands the unique ability to humanize their business, and lends the opportunity for brands to interact, listen, and engage with their audience. Most importantly, brands can build strong long-lasting relationships with their consumers while building trust and loyalty, through social media.
A highly informative article from Hootsuite further explains why and how you can engage your target audience through specific social media content!
While there is a long list of content ideas a brand can choose from to drive engagement, lets focus on three tips to start!
- #1 Day to Day Posts/Content
- #2 Behind the Scenes Posts/Content
- #3 Promotional Posts/Content
Brand Engagement Tip #1: Day to Day Posts/Content
Share content like “sneak peaks,” and “coming soon” posts to keep your followers curious! When a consumer loves a product, they get excited to know what is behind the next door! Somewhat like a sequal to a great movie or a novel series they cannot put down! Using these strategies is how Apple keeps consumers lining up at stores, and joining long wait lists for the next iphone launch! So the next time, your brand is working on a big project or a new, fancy version of an existing product, let your followers know big things are coming!
Moreover, it is important to let your followers know you are listening! By allowing your followers/consumers to enjoy the journey with you, you are building an emotional connection to the brand!
***PRO TIP: Schedule a monthly LIVE announcement on social media and invite guests to RSVP online to create excitement build up and drive attendance!
Equally important, you want your content to be eye catching and intriguing to your audience! Likewise, DO NOT FORGET, social media gives the opportunity to HUMANIZE your brand! In other words, do NOT strive for the perfect image, this is how brands stay relatable to their audience! Stay HUMAN!
Brand Engagement Tip #2: Behind the Scenes Posts/Content
In addition, consumers enjoy an entertaining digital story! Part of your digital story should be “behind the scenes!” That being said, do not shy away from sharing this with them! This allows them to understand what goes on daily in your business, something the non social media follower can’t see! This gives a feeling of exclusivity!
Do not be afraid to let your followers in on a delicious secret! Such as what goes into creating the perfect latte at your coffee shop (hint at a secret homemade ingredient that no one knows)! Can your followers join you during your morning routine, while feeding the animals, and completing morning chores at your equestrian center? The consumer must know it is not all glitz and glamour!
***PRO TIP: Host a weekly Event LIVE Stream on social media where they can interact with you live!
Finally… Tip #3: Promotional Posts/Content
Of course, we love to entertain our audience, however we must sprinkle in some promotions here and there! Now that your followers are engaged, it is a great time to promote a product or service! At this point you have built trust and loyalty, which drives credibility for your business!
“Trust is a byproduct of a commitment to quality and excellence. If you can deliver the right results to the right people over the long haul, they will come to believe and trust in your product and service offerings.”
***PRO TIP: Strategically promote products and sales that relate to the content shared that week/month! If there is a LIVE stream on how to make the perfect mocha latte, promote that Mocha Latte sale!
All in all, the goal is to interact with your audience so when the time comes you can drop a promotion and the consumer is engaged, educated, and ready to purchase your product!
“The more people react to your marketing campaigns, the more they will talk about them. And the more they discuss your brand and products, the more likely people are to buy them.”
The key is staying consistent with your audience and providing useful information that not only educates but entertains in some way! With LIVE streaming, reels, and so much more on social media the opportunities are infinite!
Social media is constantly changing and evolving! For more social media tips to ignite your small business, SUBSCRIBE for future content!
Category: Personal Branding, Social Media Marketing 101