Social Media Best Practices

Four friends checking their mobile phones at the same time.
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Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Twitter—the list goes on and on. Today, businesses are using social media to make a name for themselves and to compete with much larger competitors.

If your business is not active on social media, then it’s losing out. Apart from being a new business prerequisite, social media helps companies connect personally with customers, collect accurate information on customer needs, reach their targeted audience on-the-go via mobile interaction and much more.

So you’ve decided to build an online presence across various social networking sites. But where do you begin? Let’s talk about simple ways small businesses can successfully attract and engage with their audiences on social media.

Facebook

Establishing itself as one of the most effective marketing tools for small businesses, Facebook has become a go-to site for companies to interact with clients. Whether it’s sharing links to helpful blog posts, providing a glimpse inside a company outing or promoting coupons for a product or service, Facebook gives its users a chance to easily connect. Setting up a Facebook business page is just the first step to success. Learn seven Facebook best practices to get ahead of your competition.

Google+

Aside from helping a company’s search engine rankings and SEO efforts, Google+ is one of the best platforms to attract new customers, remain relevant to the current audience, spread brand awareness and more. Companies that aren’t part of Google+ make it increasingly difficult for customers to find them. Check out Google+ best practices to better understand how your business can benefit from joining the Google+ community.

LinkedIn

Initially entering the social media scene as a business-oriented service for users to share resumes and search for jobs, LinkedIn has become a place for companies to spotlight products, customers and employees. Learn initial steps to optimize your company’s presence on LinkedIn and begin maximizing your reach today.

Instagram

With over 400 million active users, Instagram has taken the online world by storm. Companies have established themselves on this platform by sharing industry-related imagery, advertisements, behind-the-scenes photographs and more. If Instagram is foreign territory to you—fear not! Learn best practices you can follow to jumpstart success for your company on Instagram.

Pinterest

Most commonly known for its early beginnings when the platform focused on baked goods, home décor and fashion, Pinterest has grown to appeal to many industries. This social media platform tells a company’s story—in a more intimate way than most other platforms. Ready to make the most of your experience on Pinterest? Check out some best practices that will help you succeed on this image-driven social network.

Twitter

With over 316 million monthly active users, Twitter has gained worldwide popularity. A community of this size and with this much influence makes taking a business’ online marketing efforts to Twitter a no-brainer. Although Twitter isn’t a top choice for some industries, it’s important to experiment with this network to see what works best for your business. View some Twitter best practices that all small businesses should know before entering the Twitterverse.

If your current and potential customers are spending time on these platforms, so should you. To reach and connect with your audience, meet them where they are and engage in active dialogue. Before you know it, you’ll be ready to call yourself a social butterfly.

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