When it comes to marketing your business, social media is one of the methods many entrepreneurs consider first. Most entrepreneurs have used social media personally and so are familiar with the platforms, whereas other marketing methods like email and paid advertising are new territory. There is also the added bonus of social media marketing being free (unless you run paid advertisements). So, if you are just starting your business, or just getting started with marketing your business, then here are a few steps you should follow to get started with social media marketing.

STEP 1 – ASK YOURSELF ‘WHY DO I WANT TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING?’

The truth is that many people think they need to use social media marketing to have a successful business or they default to using it because it is free. Whilst it may be free financially, it can be a very time-consuming marketing option so you should carefully think about why you want to use it. There is no denying that social media marketing offers great opportunities, but because most people focus on social media marketing as a key marketing tool I want you to just challenge that belief.

STEP 2 – WHAT CHANNELS SHOULD YOU BE ON

If you are still reading then I’m assuming that you have decided social media marketing is still for you. Now the joy of social media is that is is a forever changing landscape. At the time of writing it is common for businesses to use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Google+ and Pinterest, but there is always a new platform waiting around the corner.

When you are first starting out DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT try and market your business on every channel. As I mentioned earlier social media marketing is time-consuming so when you are starting out you should concentrate on just one or two platforms.

By focusing on one or two platforms you will make it easier for you to publish content consistently as well as give yourself a decent chance of learning how to use the platform for maximum impact.

So how do you choose what channels you should be on? This will totally depend on your business, your prospective client and you. Ideally, you want to find a platform where your prospective audience is, that enables you to share content that showcases your business effectively and in a format that you are comfortable creating content for.

STEP 3 – DEFINE YOUR OBJECTIVE FOR EACH PLATFORM

In Step 2 you thought carefully about what social media platforms to be active on in order to promote your business. I would recommend that you also define objectives, or goals, for your channel. Now, this is not about saying ‘I want to have 5,000 followers on Instagram’. This is about how you will be using the platform to support your business.

For example, maybe you decide to have Facebook as one of your platforms and you create a Facebook Page and a Facebook Group. Your objective for the Facebook Group could be to position yourself as an expert and nurture your audience. This is exactly how I use my Facebook Group, SUPERSTAR SOLOPRENEURS. (If you aren’t already a member come and join us today). In my group, I am creating a space for solo and small business owners to connect with other entrepreneurs who are in a similar position. In the group, I share exclusive content to help everyone improve their marketing and I also share information about how they can hire me as a marketing coach or consultant.

Or maybe you have a blog that is gaining a lot of traction but you want a platform to show the more personal side of you. Therefore you choose Instagram with a focus on creating InstaStories and your objective is to connect with people on a more ‘human’ level.

STEP 4 – DECIDE ON YOUR SCHEDULE

Consistency is key when marketing your business via social media. If you went onto the Instagram account of a business and saw they hadn’t posted in 2 weeks what would you think? It definitely wouldn’t scream professional, would it?

To be taken seriously you need to be serious about creating content. As a business owner, I know you have a lot of your plate, which is why I recommend you create a weekly schedule so you know how often you are posting and where. This will also be beneficial as you start to add more layers to your social media and content marketing.

STEP 5 – DECIDE ON YOUR CONTENT THEMES

Having themes for your content will make your life so much easier. Not only will it mean you don’t sit down to a blank computer or phone and think “What should I post today?”, but it also means that there will be consistency in what you are posting. So think about your business and write down a number of different themes or topics that you could create content on.

STEP 6 – START CREATING AND PUBLISHING CONTENT

That’s it. You have done enough thinking and planning and now it is time to take action! You know what platforms you are using, you know the objectives of each platform, you know your schedule and you know your content themes so you are ready to go!

Did you find this post helpful? I would love to know in the comments below what social media platforms you have decided to use to market your business.

Would you like some 1:1 support from a marketing professional to help ensure you are marketing your business as successfully as possible? Social media is just the beginning of marketing options and by working with me, I will recommend what I think are the best marketing channels for you and create an action plan to get you implementing it straight away. To find out more you can read all about my 1:1 services here or you can book a call to discuss your individual situation.