Developing social media and social marketing strategies are fast becoming essential elements for small business growth. When running a small business, having a consistent social marketing presence is imperative, however it's also good to shake things up every now and again.
Summer's a great time to get out of your marketing comfort zone and try some new strategies - this way you're able to pick up some new customers with different strategies you may have not have felt comfortable wasting during the slower months.
Here are some ideas on how to shake up your marketing strategies to get bigger returns this summer:
1. Use Different Social Outlets
A great way to start off the summer is to begin taking advantage of different social media outlets you may not be on. Facebook and Twitter have become staples in the social media marketing world, but some other, popular outlets are being underutilized.
Instagram, for example, now has over 500 million users but not as many businesses are taking advantage of the platform. The lack of time a user may view your post may seem to make the site more work than it's worth, however, mastering the eye-catching presentation and proper timing for posts can deliver huge returns - uninterested parties could easily turn into loyal repeat customers before you know it.
And the best benefit is your followers will automatically help spread your images to their friends and family. That creates a two for one deal not seen on other outlets.
2. Market To A Different Audience
Social media is generally understood to be a young person's game - teenagers, young adults and any one close to being a Millennial are considered the champions of the social media world.
However, this characterization may not be as accurate as one might think.
Most people forget or ignore the 50+ age group when it comes to marketing on social outlets - since social media is a young person's game why even bother? Well, 65% of adults aged 50 and up are utilizing social media, a figure that has continued to grow in the last couple years.
This means that now is the best time to start marketing to the older generations rather than simply directing your attention to the younger users.
This demographic could become the new bread and butter of your business - and the best part is they are already present on the social media outlets you use, just waiting for you to reach out to them.
3. Get Creative With Your Contests
It's widely known that contests are a great way to interact with your audience. They provide a place to re-engage with your repeat customers, while also giving you a chance to involve new consumers.
Large contests and sweepstakes might be too costly for small businesses - creating one may be a larger headache than it is worth, especially when the draw is less than what you paid for the contents of the package - but a great way to save money and ensure a greater amount of return is to get creative with your contests.
The easiest way to do this is to look up the big trends on the sites you're marketing on.
Video Games and music are huge attractions on YouTube and people are drawn to that type of content. If you're thinking about a contest, incorporating these two interests can greatly expand your attention. Video game or concert ticket giveaways can be huge and can create solid return business if the sweepstakes are done in a way that gives the consumer a reason to want to come back. This won''t break the bank, while it can still generate the buzz you need.
Simply linking up your product creatively with what's popular at the time your marketing campaign launches is a sure fire way to get the most attention in a short amount of time. And, it'll also help keep you relevant in the social media space longer than you would otherwise be.