# How to make social media marketing work for your small business
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2017-06-24
Category: BUSINESS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business
Meta Title: Effective Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses
Meta Description: Learn how to navigate the world of social media marketing with tips from Carl Reader, author of The Start Up Coach and co-owner of dennisandturnbull.com.
URL: https://financedigest.com/how-to-make-social-media-marketing-work-for-your-small-businesshtml

![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/touch-screen-mobile-phonef-1736843715898-compressed.jpg)

**Carl Reader**, author of The Start Up Coach, co-owner of [dennisandturnbull.com](http://dennisandturnbull.com/)

Social media is a big buzz in many marketing circles, and with a huge captive audience, it’s easy to see its appeal. However, many small businesses still lack confidence in knowing how to access this massive resource. Here’s my advice on how to get social media marketing right.

I expect you may have or at least had some experience of using some of the following platforms:

Facebook – the most well-known [social media](https://www.financedigest.com/meet-the-founder-of-the-web-3-decentralized-social-media-metaverse-and-on-achieving-guarantees-of-green-for-a-proof-of-impact-future.html "Meet The Founder Of The Web-3, Decentralized, Social Media Metaverse; And on Achieving ‘Guarantees of Green’ For A Proof-of –Impact- Future") platform, allowing visitors to connect with friends and family, and share a variety of media.

YouTube – a [video sharing](https://www.financedigest.com/rouble-steadies-near-60-vs-dollar-tcs-m-video-shares-down-after-results.html "Rouble steadies near 60 vs dollar; TCS, M.Video shares down after results") site, with comment and subscribing functionality

Twitter – a ‘micro-blogging’ site which allows users to share updates of 140 characters or less

Instagram – a photo sharing site, similar to Twitter but for images rather than text

LinkedIn – a [corporate social](https://www.financedigest.com/corporate-social-responsibility-within-the-festival-industry.html "Corporate Social Responsibility Within The Festival Industry") media site, hosting a ‘directory’ of individuals and corporates in [business](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-start-a-business-in-louisiana.html)

There are many other applications, such as Snapchat, Pinterest, Google Plus and Tumblr. Each platform has its own community, and the [content that may be appropriate for LinkedIn may not be for Facebook](https://www.financedigest.com/meta-denies-kazakh-claim-of-exclusive-access-to-facebooks-content-reporting-system.html "Meta denies Kazakh claim of exclusive access to Facebook’s content reporting system"), and vice versa. It’s free to set up on social media – though be prepared for it to take up your time, especially when you’re starting out. Social [media](https://www.financedigest.com/the-cell-culture-media-market-to-get-way-ahead-with-digitization.html "The Cell Culture Media Market to get way ahead with digitization") marketing is a lucrative [marketing](https://www.financedigest.com/5-reasons-not-to-ignore-content.html) field of its own, with various experts promoting their services to help your [business](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-start-a-business-in-louisiana.html) take advantage of these platforms. Whilst these services are undoubtedly of benefit for some businesses, my advice is that it is possible to manage this successfully yourself.

Despite the range of social media platforms available, I would suggest NOT trying to tackle all of the social channels at once. Start small, and work up to more as you learn. Spend time observing and learning about the networks you [don’t know](https://www.financedigest.com/women-in-technology-that-you-should-know-but-probably-dont.html "Women In Technology That You Should Know (But Probably Don’t)") about, so that you can ascertain the culture of each network.

[Figure out who your target market](https://www.financedigest.com/poly-cotton-fabric-market-detailed-analysis-of-current-and-future-industry-figures-till-2020-2030.html "Poly Cotton Fabric Market Detailed Analysis of Current and Future Industry Figures till 2020-2030") is, and find out where they are. What platform are they most likely to be on? Once you’ve narrowed it down, you can think about what you’re going to share. What content will engage them? Put a plan in place, and monitor your success (e.g. track the number of clickthroughs to the website, look at the engagement [rate to see](https://www.financedigest.com/key-fed-official-sees-rates-liftoff-in-2023-as-policy-debate-heats-up.html "Key Fed official sees rates liftoff in 2023 as policy debate heats up") how successful your posts are). What are you hoping to achieve? Decide realistic and [measurable aims to keep you focused and track](https://www.financedigest.com/eye-tracking-findings-emphasise-the-importance-of-measuring-attention-in-digital-advertising.html "Eye tracking findings emphasise the importance of measuring attention in digital advertising") your progress.

It’s also [important to keep up to date](https://www.financedigest.com/tissue-cultured-date-palm-market-pegged-at-us-4-5-bn-value-pool-in-2027-import-export-activities-take-a-downturn-amid-coronavirus-outbreak-future-market-insights.html "Tissue Cultured Date Palm Market Pegged at US$ 4.5 Bn Value Pool in 2027; Import & Export Activities Take a Downturn Amid Coronavirus Outbreak: Future Market Insights") with the changes on each platform. For example, on Twitter it once was commonplace to receive an automated message (DM) every time you followed a new [business.](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-start-a-business-in-louisiana.html) Nowadays, this practice is frowned upon. Many platforms have also [moved towards](https://www.financedigest.com/the-biopesticides-market-to-move-towards-constructive-advancements.html "The Biopesticides Market To Move Towards Constructive Advancements") paid advertising, which allows you to either sponsor posts or place adverts in your contacts’ newsfeeds. The targeting available through these platforms, using the information entered by the users themselves, is very specific and can be used with fantastic impact.

A question that I’m commonly asked at workshops is whether a business owner should post on social media sites as themselves or as a business. Personally, I’ve adopted the view that people engage with people, and as such I have an active personal profile alongside my business profiles. Many brands have successfully introduced personality into their corporate feeds, with Tesco and Sainsbury’s being two examples of [companies that have a human feel to their Twitter](https://www.financedigest.com/elon-musk-who-runs-four-other-companies-will-now-be-twitter-ceo.html "Elon Musk, who runs four other companies, will now be Twitter CEO") feeds.

Another common question I am asked surrounds the volume of posts, and the types of posts. Each platform has a different level of acceptability in [terms of post volume](https://www.financedigest.com/automotive-navigation-solutions-market-size-and-key-trends-in-terms-of-volume-and-value.html "Automotive Navigation Solutions Market Size and Key Trends in Terms of Volume and Value"). For example, Twitter tends to be rather fast-paced, and to be visible it is best to post several times per day. Conversely, the newsfeed on LinkedIn is far slower and this volume of posting would be frowned upon. Broadly speaking, I look towards a simple rule of thirds when it comes to posting – one [third being my own original content / updates, one third being replies and interaction, and one third being the sharing of other material](https://www.financedigest.com/basic-material-luxury-stocks-drive-european-shares-to-a-third-day-of-losses.html "Basic material, luxury stocks drive European shares to a third day of losses") (e.g. through retweets) that I believe my followers would appreciate.

[Building relationships](https://www.financedigest.com/building-stronger-relationships-with-insurance-companies.html "Building Stronger Relationships With Insurance Companies") with key influencers is another good way to establish a presence and credibility on a social media platform. Join in industry-related conversations, respond to [key figures in your sector](https://www.financedigest.com/demand-for-tissue-and-hygiene-market-from-key-end-use-sectors-to-surge-in-the-near-future.html "Demand for Tissue And Hygiene Market from Key End-use Sectors to Surge in the Near Future"), share content from other people (with their permission of course). For example, my [Startup Coach](https://www.facebook.com/groups/thestartupcoach/) Facebook group allows business owners to discuss and explore a variety of relevant topics.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that an active social media presence is a great positive addition to any [business’s marketing](https://www.financedigest.com/meningitis-diagnostic-testing-market-analysis-status-and-business-outlook-2017-to-2025.html "Meningitis Diagnostic Testing Market Analysis, Status and Business Outlook 2017 to 2025"). Costing only time, it grants you direct continual access to customers and prospective customers. It isn’t as simple as setting up a profile and letting it “roll” – it takes effort, trial and error to see what works and what doesn’t with YOUR target audience. However, once you’ve got to grips, the [benefits are most definitely worth the time investment](https://www.financedigest.com/the-benefits-of-investing-in-healthtech-and-medtech-companies.html "The Benefits of Investing in Healthtech and MedTech Companies").

[www.carlreader.com](http://www.carlreader.com)


---
This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more.
---