Small Businesses and Social Media

If you own and operate a Small Business setup, Which Platform do you need to be on for effective Digital Marketing? Let’s try and answer this question here. 

.

So you own a small/medium scale business & want to explore digital marketing.

.

Maybe you’ve even tried a hand at it.

.

But have you stopped to wonder how you are using social media and most importantly which platform are you using to reach out to your audience? 

.

When I say social media marketing, what is the platform that comes to your mind?

Facebook, Instagram, maybe Twitter.

.

But what if I tell you that these platforms need not be the right ones for marketing your business  and that there’s many more social media platforms that you can use to reach out to your audience & there are smarter ways to do it!

.

Let’s say you want to sell fast fashion apparel that is going to be in trend for the next 6 months or so, in that case, Facebook is probably not the best platform to reach your audience. Because although almost 3 billion people use Facebook, the average age of its users is above the category of fast fashion shoppers.

.

Then again, if you want more people to drop into your coffee shop, you may be prioritizing making reels on Instagram but you’d be surprised at the results a well maintained Tripadvisor profile can get you!

.

Let’s say you provide a service or a product that is targeted towards urban women.

.

It can be lifestyle apparel, home decor, self care, beauty products or even travel destination packages. While you may already be using Instagram for marketing, another platform to reach your audience can be Pinterest.

.

More than 60% of the users of Pinterest are women and it is a platform inherently designed for visually pleasing pictures and graphics

.

Similarly, if you’re a dealer for used cars or motorbikes or if you want to showcase apartments that you have for sale or give tips on the stock market or to put it simply, if the product or service that you’re selling needs you to visually explain or present it to a male customer in their 40s or 50s, try and explore video marketing on YouTube and the penetration of the videos to the exact audience with the help of WhatsApp.

.

Then again, if you’re looking at selling high end luxury cars or boutique apartments or exclusive men grooming products, neither YouTube, not Facebook, nor WhatsApp is going to be of use to you, instead you can try and explore LinkedIn to build connections with a more focused audience with deeper pockets.

.

An important point to remember is that the more elite your target customer, the more careful you need to be in establishing a connection. A cold call or a direct WhatsApp to a lead for a high end product form Linkedin isn’t a guaranteed method either, in this case a simple, well-drafted email seeking an appointment can do a better job for you.

.

We need to carefully observe each end to end touch points of the business to analyse which digital platform to use when. 

.

Let’s say your business needs your customers to walk in or visit your establishment. No matter how many artworks you make on Facebook or Instagram, an accurate Google Map pin and positive Google / Zomato reviews are of utmost importance

.

And again, in comparison, if you have a take-out or delivery only F&B business a well maintained database of your regular, occasional and one-off customers can do wonders for your business when connected over WhatApp.

.

The Digital Space can seem very simple when looked at from afar to the uninitiated but exploring its complex myriads and paths opens up treasure troves that can take your business to newer highs!

.

If you found anything of use in this video do consider subscribing and sharing it with your friends.

.

.

And if you need any assistance with exploring the digital space for your business please feel free to connect with me.

.