Demystifying social media for small business owners

One of the things I get asked by business owners in meetings most, is how they should use social media, and whether there’s any point. 
The short answer, is yes! There absolutely is a point. Not only does it increase exposure and brand awareness (much like traditional advertising channels do), it also provides your customers with a way of interacting with you.
Let’s look at the figures. Facebook has a massive 936 million active users per day. Twitter reports 302 million active users a month. But these hard numbers can either feel like a big marketing opportunity, or a prime chance to get lost in the ether. And it’s true, social media creates a lot of noise, with recent figures pointing to a minuscule 0.07% of followers interacting with each post.
Does this mean we should pack it in? Abandon the realms of social media and head for the hills? Again, in short, no. The key is finding out how to use social media to your advantage.
Pepping up your online presence
Before we go any further, we need to clarify one thing. For those considering using Facebook and Twitter in place of a traditional website, don’t do it!  Google has 40,000 searches every second, and 3.5 billion searches per day. So yes, your website is still a major marketing tool worth investing in, and keeping fresh. 
But how about using social media to amplify your website, and boost your online presence.
Social media is a powerful influencer. Even if people don’t go all out and interact, it certainly doesn’t mean they haven’t noticed you. And it’s a great way of directing traffic to your website, particularly if you’re regularly posting fresh content, like a blog.
Ultimately, social media should be used to engage. That doesn’t mean shameless self-promotion. Rather, think about what your customers might want to see. What would be interesting to them? If you’re a hands-on business owner, you might even get direct face-to-face feedback on what that might be. 
Some easy wins
So where do we start? Firstly, it’s worth noting that small business owners seem to be growing in confidence, with 57% of UK SME’s on social media. But, 45% of these businesses still admit that they need help when it comes to using it effectively. 
The trouble is, it can feel like a vast unknowable virtual landscape. To counter this, break it down into its sum parts. It’s a promotional tool, and a way to build engagement. 
Here’s a few tips to get you started:
1. Amplify your website. Share your blogs, or news updates and use social media to cross pollenate the hard work you’ve put into your marketing content. Be warned, as already mentioned, shameless self-promotion is a danger zone though. Lots of posts about how you “had a lovely meeting with a new, very confidential client,” is not interesting to the masses.
2. Share insights. Whether that’s retweeting relevant industry news, or for savvy companies, your own value-adding insight pieces and academic documents. This also sets you apart as an expert in your field.
3. Promote your business. Share new products for example. Shout about special offers, or even run competitions. This directly gives something back to followers, satisfying that oh-so-real need for instant gratification.  
4. Start conversations. Interact with people. Even pose questions if you have something to say. As we’ve touched on, social media opens the avenues for interactive communication. And that’s what the people want! An opportunity to connect and provide feedback. 
So you see, social media doesn’t need to be a daunting area. And you don’t have to be a media guru. Ultimately, communications should be relevant, engaging and informative. But with these easy steps under your belt, you’ll be on your way to building up a powerful social media presence.