How to Use Social Media Marketing to Make Connections for Sustainable Business Growth

Social media has become the hottest and most effective platform for local business to grow their business brand, engage their market and generate high-quality leads and loyal customers. Besides local business online marketing through Google My Business, social media marketing through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn give local business a proven strategy to access many more local leads and customers.

But social media marketing is not for the faint at heart. It requires a strong profile, a consistent and time consuming commitment to posting targeted quality content, effectively engaging the market that follows you, and cultivating positive reviews from customers through these networks.

Mobile Traffic From Social Media

Over 12% of local searches are happening on Facebook. Traffic from Facebook can be especially valuable because it is often motivated by social proof – the fact that we tend to “like” what our friends like.  More than half the referral traffic that comes from Facebook and Twitter is mobile. Facebook and Twitter as well as all social media and local directory apps have adapted to a mobile audience to accommodate this exploding trend.

Connecting with a BTB Market on LinkedIn

if a BTB market is important to you, LinkedIn is one of the best sources for attracting and connecting with professionals and other business owners who are interested in your products and services.  Besides lead generation and customer sales, a LinkedIn network can be a powerful source of referrals from connections who share your market but do not compete. This is an opportunity to build relationships with a goal of helping each other.

LinkedIn offers tools that help you to enhance your brand and share your content. This begins with a profile rich in bio and contact information, images, video, posts, presentations, and recommendations solicited from your customers on LinkedIn. Sharing content from your network that is relevant to your groups and followers, is important for getting more traction from your profile and content.  Creating and managing a powerful LinkedIn business page is another tool that should not be overlooked for lead generation and network alliances. After establishing a strong presence, consider establishing your own LinkedIn group with a mission and purpose that will attract members and maintain their interest in your postings and the content you share.

Establishing a Strong Presence on Facebook

Establishing yourself on Facebook requires a strong profile with bio and contact information as well as photos, videos, stories, and reviews. You may also embed your Instagram feed, create offers, embed other apps, and set up a simple eCommerce store on Facebook. An important strategy is to create one or more business pages that get many likes. This can help you to create a following who engage with you and share your information. Anyone who “likes” your page automatically receives content in their newsfeed that you post.

Engaging your market on Facebook begins by searching and joining groups that are highly relevant to your industry, target market, and geographic area of service. Responding to questions and offering helpful information on a consistent basis is the best way to build a following who trusts you and spreads the good word about you. These are people who will respond to the content that you post and convert into leads and customers. Establishing your own group with content that sets you apart and peaks the interest of your market is a strategy that should not be overlooked.

Content Marketing on Instagram

Instagram is a popular social media marketing platform for local businesses to target and engage their ideal customers. Begin your account setup with an Instagram profile. Then search and follow individuals and groups that represent or are followed by your market. Follow those who have a significant following who you can follow. By posting content that appeals to those you follow will encourage them to follow you back.

Influencers on Instagram are a strategy that can have an enormous impact on your following but at a sizable financial cost. Success can be achieved on Instagram without influencers with effective digital content marketing on a consistent basis. The following strategy is suggested to cultivate and maintain a strong following on Instagram.