The Top 6 Social Media Questions All Small Business Owners Ask

Over the years, Social Media has become an integral part of our personal and business lives and changed how we communicate with our customers. Rather than picking up the phone to learn more about a product and service, we now have the luxury of finding out all we need to know with just one click of a button.

Social Media has made it easier for businesses to market their products and communicate with customers. It allows for more of a personal connection and a targeted approach. But when it comes to small businesses there is a lot to know before getting social.

Here are 6 common Social Media questions that many small business owners ask.

Question 1. How many Social Media platforms should I be on?

Choosing the right Social Media platform depends on your resources. For many small businesses, it’s just not feasible to be effective on every Social Media platform — especially if you’re the only one managing it.

Find social platforms that encourage more opportunity to engage with your target audience. The fewer accounts you have the more you’ll be able to direct your time, energy and resources into them. Any more than that and you’re spreading yourself too thin.

Question 2. What kind of content should I post?

Trying to reach everyone on Social Media is just not realistic and could be a dangerous trap to fall into — becoming detrimental to your budget and success. When it comes to creating content, prioritise who it is you want to speak to and create content just for them. This should also form the foundation of your brand voice, messaging and business goals.

Create and share content which provides value. Images, videos, blog posts and articles that connect, inspire, educate or entertain your audience is key to Social Media success.

Question 3. How can I find out which Social Media platforms my audience uses the most?

There are many ways to determine which Social Media platforms your target audiences are playing at. Start by examining your competitors to see which social platforms they appear on and what kind of engagement they get. Next, go out into the market and interview people who you consider your ideal customer and find out which Social Media sites they use the most.

If your ideal audience are B2B customers, your time would be spent better on LinkedIn. However, if you have a visually appealing product, Instagram might be the place to capture that audience. Google search can be your best friend when it comes to researching your target audience.

Question 4. What is the difference between a Facebook Profile, a Facebook Business Page and a Facebook Group?

New businesses diving into the world of Social Media are sometimes confused with the difference between a Facebook page, group and profile.

A Facebook Profile represents one person and is where you can connect and share photos and posts with family, friends and colleagues. Though Facebook profiles were generally for personal use, over time many small business owners are now using it as a business tool — showcasing professional imagery on profile photos and cover banners.

A Facebook Group is a two-way street which forms a community or special interest group and allows for people to share common interests and express their opinion. It can be a very useful tool in growing your business when you regularly engage with your members.

A Facebook Page is used to represent a brand or business and enables public figures, organisations and businesses to create an authentic and public presence on Facebook. Unlike your personal profile, Facebook Pages are visible to everyone and allow followers to interact with your business by liking, commenting and sharing your posts.

Question 5. As a Business Owner do I need to be on LinkedIn?

In a short answer — yes! No matter what kind of business you’re in, having a professional LinkedIn profile where other business professionals and consumers can find out more about you is key to building up your professional network and reputation.

While Facebook, Instagram and other social platforms boost visibility and awareness, LinkedIn has more of a business focus. With a user base of over 100 million professionals, LinkedIn is a great social network to connect and engage with other business owners and potential customers.

Question 6. What is the best way to attract more followers on Social Media?

There are many ways to attract more followers and maintain the trust of your current ones. Some of these are:

• Understand your audience — when you know who you’re speaking to it makes creating content that much easier.
• Produce consistent and valuable content — people like to follow accounts which add value and are consistent in their messaging.
• Engage with your current audience — This displays a friendly persona and integrity as a business.
• Use relevant hashtags — to allow others to find you.
• Run competitions or events — promoting a competition is a great way to gain extra followers.
• Tag other people and pages — encouraging further brand awareness.
• Use the Social Media analytics tool to determine what’s working and what isn’t.

So, these are some of the more popular questions that we get asked from small business owners. If you have any further questions, please leave them in the comments, and we’ll be sure to answer them for you. The main thing to remember is if your business is going to be on Social Media, make sure you know who you’re talking to, provide valuable content consistently and a have a great LinkedIn presence to showcase your professional persona and skills. Doing this will ensure your small business will be set up for Social Media success.

If you need help with tackling the social media beast.  Have a look at services offered by one of our subsidiaries.