Optimizing your brand’s social media presence can feel like solving a 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzle. There are so many different moving parts to keep straight, so muc strategy to hone, and so many different ways to post and engage with your fanbase. Most people who have a social media presence for their business know you should post regularly, make use of stories, and respond to comments and messages. But there are also some less well-known ways to really help your social channels stand out. If your small business needs social media help, here are 5 secret ingredients you may not have known about.
Facebook Groups
In many ways, Facebook is not the social media powerhouse it once was: younger generations are turning to apps like TikTok and Instagram more and more. However, Facebook still offers some unique benefits that can make a big difference for your brand. One of these is groups. There are groups for everything on Facebook: Neighborhood groups, interest groups, industry groups, and so much more.
As a small business owner or employee, you should try to join as many relevant Facebook groups as possible. Join groups that can help you connect with fellow business owners, and groups that can help you reach your target audience. You can use these groups to post, respond to others, and leave comments that directly or indirectly help to promote your business.
For instance, let’s say you own a small local restaurant in St. Louis. You could join St. Louis hospitality groups to recruit new employees, St. Louis foodie groups to appeal to those looking for new places to eat, St. Louis mom groups if your restaurant is family friendly, and groups that bring together people in the specific neighborhood you’re located in. All of these could provide opportunities for you, your employees, or your loyal fans to promote and suggest your restaurant.
Location Tags
Everyone knows to use hashtags and keywords in their social media efforts, both when posting and when engaging in social listening. Another tool on Facebook and Instagram that tends to be underutilized is location tags. These location geotags can be a great source of potential customers who are currently located near your business.
Tagging your posts with the neighborhood you’re in or nearby attractions can bring more eyes to your content. In searching for new potential customers, you can also use location tags. You can search the location tag for the city or neighborhood you’re located in, or get even more specific and search the location tag of nearby competitors in your industry, to find people who are likely to be interested in your offerings.
Instagram Collab tool
If you ever work with influencers or partner with other brands, you should make sure you’re using the Collab tool on Instagram. This is what allows two different people or brands to post the same content on their grids together. Showing up on your brand partner’s grid instead of just in their tagged photos will increase exposure for your brand a lot. A much larger number of their followers will then be exposed to your content, and both partners can benefit from the content reaching new eyes.
Popular SoundsÂ
On sites like TikTok and Instagram Reels, the days of people watching videos on silent are long gone. Sound has made its triumphant return, and is now one of the best ways to increase your brand’s exposure on these sites. Just like hashtags or location tags, people will search within popular sounds that they’ve been enjoying lately. Making use of trending sounds can help way more people find your videos, and lead to a stronger presence.
Followers of Competitors
Finally, another often overlooked source of customers is by searching through your major competitors’ followers. These are likely people who have an interest in the products or services you offer, since they are following a brand that offers the same or similar things.
Searching for new customers by location or even specific hashtags can leave you sifting through tons of accounts just to find a few that are promising as potential customers. By narrowing your search down to people who already have some level of interest in your industry/offerings, you’re cutting down on the time it takes to find potential customers.
While all of the tips above may not necessarily be heavily-guarded secrets, they are lesser-known ways to improve your social media presence. Digital marketing can be a major money-maker for your business, and social media can play a huge role in that if you manage your accounts well.
