What is it?
Making your business discoverable on social media by setting up profiles on various platforms, including claiming a business username, also referred to as a social media handle.
Social media is an essential component of modern marketing, and businesses should approach it as an extension of their customer service strategy.
Why is it important?
Maintaining social channels and engaging in social interactions allow businesses to:
- connect with customers
- increase brand awareness
- share timely information
- build ongoing relationships with potential clients and consumers
Not only do consumers tend to buy from brands that they follow on social media, but instilling a foundation of trust with these individuals achieves the word-of-mouth marketing that can grow a brand’s presence beyond traditional paid media.
Establishing your presence
Here are our top recommended social media platforms to set up an account.
The family-friendly platform whose algorithm prioritizes content based on users’ interests and groups.
Facebook is best leveraged by sharing your:
- educational content
- events or sales
- new product offerings
- business values
It’s considered the foundational social platform, and businesses have the potential to connect with prospective customers if they follow these steps to set up a business page.
A platform for creators, Instagram is intended to:
- share visually captivating content
- build communities of devoted fans
- build fan engagement
- build brand loyalty
It’s not only used for sharing inspirational content. Businesses can directly track insights about their followers, promote in-app sales, and grow their brand by following this informative guide.
A fast-paced platform, Twitter connects businesses to what’s going on in an industry or community at that very moment so users can engage in relevant interactions that add value and build trust.
If your business is interested in tracking the most up-to-date trends and gaining insight on consumer behavior straight from the voices of buyers, then follow this step-by-step guide on establishing your Twitter presence.
A business-to-business focused platform that:
- leverages visuals to drive mobile networking
LinkedIn is best applied to:
- company news
- employee highlights
- professional content
To help communities learn more about your business and build trust in your company values, follow this guide to creating a LinkedIn page.
Best practices
It’s a common belief that for businesses to stay competitive they need to have social media accounts, and that’s true, but where many businesses falter is thinking it’s just another box to check rather than a valuable part of your overall sales strategy.
Being intentional with the social channels you choose will help drive consumer loyalty, better maximize your time and efforts as a merchant.
We recommend using Facebook and Instagram as your consumer-facing social media channels. Both are commonly used to drive purchasing decisions through visual content and meaningful interactions.
Consider Twitter if your business has a dedicated admin to participate in real-time conversations. This does require nearly constant engagement with the platform and can be a considerable time investment.
Consider LinkedIn to connect with potential partners or suppliers or to post job openings and career opportunities.
