The Beginner’s Guide to Social Media How to use the power of social media marketing to connect with customers and promote your small business.
The Beginner’s Guide to Social Media
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Table of Contents
The Beginner’s Guide to Social Media
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What is Social Media Marketing?
04
Setting Social Media Goals
06
Selecting the Right Platforms
08
How to Use Facebook
12
How to Use Instagram
15
How to Use Twitter
18
How to Use LinkedIn
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What to Post on Social Media
24
Engaging with Your Followers
27
Social Media Advertising
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What is Social Media Marketing? Simple and affordable strategies to build a following and boost sales for your small business.
The Beginner’s Guide to Social Media
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What is Social Media Marketing?
What is Social Media Marketing?
Is it personal or business?
Social media marketing takes place when a business uses
There’s a good chance you’re already using social media to
a digital marketing strategy to engage with customers and
interact with friends and family members. If that’s the case,
create awareness about their brand. This is accomplished
you’re certainly not alone. A whopping 68% of U.S. adults
by posting content on popular online platforms such as
use Facebook.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. While it’s helpful to be familiar with the various platforms
It’s good for business
from a personal standpoint, keep in mind that using social media for business is different. It’s an opportunity to engage
Social media is important for the success of your business
with current and potential customers and build your
because it creates a direct link to your current and potential
brand online.
customers. With the right strategy in place, it allows you to: —
Broaden your customer reach
—
Make it easy for people to find your business
—
Build brand ambassadors
—
Address and respond to problems
—
Locate and recruit top talent
—
Interact with existing and
For the most part, your personal life and your business life shouldn’t mix on social media. Take an approach that’s more professional and easier to manage: Establish separate company profiles for your business.
potential customers If your current experience with social media is limited to sharing vacation photos or sending birthday wishes, then it’s time to get your business on board. Social media is an easy and affordable way to build a community of followers,
You’ve Got This!
communicate directly with your customers, and increase
Remember that social media is all about
brand exposure.
engaging with your audience. You should have a two-way conversation with customers about
68%
their interests. Think of it like talking with friends over a cup of coffee.
of all U.S. adults use Facebook Pew Research Center
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Setting Social Media Goals The only way to measure social media success is to first decide what you’re trying to achieve.
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Setting Social Media Goals
Setting Social Media Goals
Start with a plan
Setting expectations for your social media marketing
Another Manta survey found that small business owners are
strategy is a twofold process:
evenly split on their willingness to spend money on social
1.
Identify the audience you’re trying to reach.
2.
Establish some clear business goals.
Think about what you’re trying to accomplish. Most likely, you want prospective customers to do one or more of the following: —
Visit your website
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Pick up the phone and call your business
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Purchase your product or service
media marketing. But even among those who make the financial commitment, nearly 60% believe they do not get a return on their investment. Turns out, it’s hard to measure a return if you don’t have a strategy in place. —
What do you hope to achieve?
—
What do you want social media to do for your business?
—
How do you define success?
Because it can be difficult to measure the return on
The answers to these questions will set the stage for
your social media efforts, many small business owners
your strategy.
get discouraged or give up. They overlook the long-term benefits of building an online community of customers.
To be successful, your social media efforts must be strategically planned and feature consistent engagement
What do you hope to gain from your social media marketing?
with your audience. Ideally, you want people to get so excited about your brand that they’ll share it with others.
The number-one reason small business owners invest in social media marketing is to build awareness for their
to drive traffic to their company website and 61% want to
68%
generate sales leads on social media. Only 43% of survey
Manta poll
business, according to a Manta poll, with 68% listing it as a goal. Almost as important, 65% of business owners want
of small business owners use social media to build awareness
respondents use social media to get customer feedback.
Start your social strategy by updating your business page on EVERY social media site with one click. Manta makes it easy! Fix My Social Listings
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Selecting the Right Platforms Meet your customers where they are. Start with the social sites they’re already using.
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Selecting the Right Platforms Although it may be tempting to establish a presence on
right for your business, first think about the type of business
every social channel, you should be selective about where
you own and who you’re trying to reach.
you spend your time and money. It’s easier to develop an effective strategy if you focus your efforts on one or two platforms.
Finding your match Some social channels are more suited to certain types of
For most small businesses, the obvious first choice is
business than others. Pay attention to the demographics of
Facebook, mainly because it has so many adult users —
the various platforms. You want to be where your customers
likely including your customers. Depending on the nature of
are. It also helps to start with a social platform you’re
your business, you may also want to use Instagram, which is
comfortable with. Get to know the platform and how people
more visually-oriented and reaches a passionate audience
navigate it — before engaging with a larger audience.
of young adults. Together, they form a strong approach to reaching your goals. The other two most popular social media platforms are Twitter and LinkedIn. Like the first two, they tend to have fairly defined audiences. To determine which platform is
84%
of small business owners manage their social media accounts themselves
Manta poll
How do you know which sites your business should be on? Let Manta help you master social media. Get Started
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How to Use Facebook With nearly 2 billion users, Facebook is the most important and most powerful social network.
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How to Use Facebook Facebook is the most popular social media platform,
business, since this age group is the prime target for
boasting the greatest number of users and the most evenly
most marketers.
distributed audience across all ages. No other social media platform comes close to offering this much exposure.
At one time, Facebook users could reach a large audience organically, but that is no longer the case. Today, business
Although Facebook reaches everyone from teens to baby
owners who want to reach more people need to create a
boomers, its largest user demographic includes people
budget for paid posts and ads.
between the ages of 25 and 34. That’s good news for your
Just the Facts! Number of users
1.9 billion
Largest demographic
Women ages 25-34
Best type of content
Short posts with photos; posts that ask a question
How often to post
1 to 3 posts daily
When to post
Although most traffic occurs in the middle of the week between 1 and 3 p.m., engagement is highest on Thursdays and Fridays.
You’ve Got This! Add a profile photo and cover photo that are related to your business. If you’re a flower shop, for example, you might want to feature a colorful photo of a wedding bouquet as your cover photo. Your logo will make a great profile photo.
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How to set up your Facebook Business Page Setting up a Facebook page for your business is easy, and it’s free. Just follow these steps to get started: 1. Go to facebook.com/business. 2. Click “Create a Page.” 3. Select the type of business you own from the list of options provided. 4. Choose a business category from the list of options.
22%
of small business owners publish a new Facebook post at least once every day Manta poll
5. Follow the prompts in the “About” section to add your business name, address, phone and a short description of your business. This will help search engines find you. You should also include the URL for your company’s website. 6. Follow the prompts to add a profile photo. 7. Answer the questions about your audience so Facebook can make it easier for potential customers to find your page. 8. Add a call-to-action button that takes prospects to your website or makes it easy for them to call you. 9. Review your settings by clicking the button located at the top right corner of your page. This is where you can control everything from page visibility to banned words and more.
Worried about what to post on social media? Don’t stress! Let Manta help manage your social strategy. Learn More
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You’ve Got This! Too busy to post updates on Facebook every day? Instead of interrupting your day, set aside a convenient time to gather photos and create content for many posts in batches. Then it will be ready when you need it.
Top 3 tips for using a Facebook page — Share a mix of written and visual content that appeals to your audience. Feature relevant tips
wedding venues, the local bakery, and the stationery shop that prints invitations.
and advice, other Facebook posts, and posts from your blog and other websites. Don’t forget to
— Experiment with posting times and frequency.
also share captivating photos and videos that
There is no magic formula for when and how
relate to your brand, as well as photos of your
often to post on Facebook. It varies based on your
team members.
audience and the type of business you own. Do people engage during their morning cup of coffee?
— Engage with other businesses that offer complementary services. Remember the
Are three posts a day too much? You may need to experiment to find out.
flower shop that specializes in beautiful wedding bouquets? They may want to engage with local
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How to Use Instagram Popular with young adults, the photo-sharing app boasts 700 million monthly active users.
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How to Use Instagram Instagram is especially suitable for image-friendly
advertising and promoting posts. And since relatively few
businesses that cater to a younger audience. Because the
businesses are currently using the platform, it’s an ideal
platform is highly visual, it’s a great way to share photos
time to get on board.
and videos. And when followers share photos of your
39%
business, you can interact with those as well. The trouble is, most small business owners have little or no factor for using the app is still relatively high. Keep in mind
of small business owners don’t know how to use Instagram, the top reason they’re not on the platform
that Instagram is easy to use — even when it comes to
Manta poll
experience with Instagram, which means the intimidation
Just the Facts! Number of users
700 million
Largest demographic
Ages 18-29
Best type of content
Photos and videos
How often to post
At least once a day
When to post
Interest peaks during the lunch hour and in the evening.
You’ve Got This! If you want Instagram users to pay attention, you need to post stellar photos and videos. Greater engagement increases the likelihood that your posts will be seen in your followers’ feed.
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How to set up an Instagram for Business page
Top 3 tips for using Instagram for Business — Post engaging visuals. If you sell a product,
Download the free Instagram app from the iTunes app store
start by posting photos of the finished product
or Google Play. You will need a Facebook business profile
or in-progress videos of the product as you’re
before you can set up your Instagram for Business page.
making it. Are you a contractor or landscaper?
That’s because Facebook owns Instagram, and the business
Before-and-after project photos, along with
accounts and advertising capabilities on the two platforms
photos of satisfied customers, tell the story. If
are integrated.
your business is more event-driven, share photos
The app will walk you through the steps to create a basic account. Once that’s complete, follow these steps to upgrade to an Instagram for Business account: 1. Tap the gear icon at the top right corner of your profile page. 2. From the list of options, tap the “Switch to Business Profile” button. 3. Tap “Continue.” You will then be prompted to connect your Instagram account to your Facebook account. 4. The business information on your Facebook page will be imported to your Instagram account. 5. Tape “Done” to save your new Instagram for
and videos that show folks what it’s like to be there. — Check out the influencers in your industry. If you’re not sure what to post, watch your competition and the leaders in your industry. You can learn plenty just by observing the frequency and timing of their posts and how they engage with followers. — Make it easy for prospects to learn more about your business. Add directions to your location, along with contact and email buttons, to your Instagram for Business profile.
Business profile.
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How to Use Twitter Twitter is the go-to platform for breaking news, politics, and anything happening in real time.
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What is Social Media Marketing?
How to Use Twitter Twitter, which uses a 140-character, micro-blog format,
Demographically speaking, a third of American teens use
is popular with members of the media, politicians,
Twitter, with teen girls living in urban areas forming the
entertainers, business leaders and people who want to
largest audience. Moms with kids under 18 follow close
know what’s going on in the world. While Twitter is a great
behind. And since 82% of active Twitter users access the
place to build relationships with influencers, it can also
service via a mobile device, the content you share should be
be an effective tool for communicating with current and
optimized for mobile viewing.
potential customers.
Just the Facts! Number of users
319 million
Largest demographic
Teens
Best type of content
Short messages (the limit is 140 characters) with images
How often to post
4 to 5 tweets per day
When to post
Throughout the day and evening, peaking between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
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How to create a Twitter account It only takes a few minutes to set up your Twitter account: 1. Go to twitter.com/signup. 2. Enter your name, phone number and password. 3. Click “Sign up for Twitter.” 4. You will receive an SMS text message with a code; enter the verification code in the box provided. 5. Select a username (Twitter handle); it must be fewer than 15 characters, and it should be as close to the name of your business as possible. If your business name is already taken, simply add your state or city abbreviation to the end of the name. (victorybagels or victorybagelsNY) 6. Click “Create my account.” Once your account is up and running, you can: —
Write your Twitter bio. You have 160 characters to tell folks what your business is about. Use hashtags in your bio and a link to your website or blog.
—
Upload your Twitter profile picture. Use an image that represents your business, such as your logo, location or staff.
—
Upload your Twitter banner image. This is another opportunity to showcase your business, so use an eyecatching photo that reflects what your business is about.
You’ve Got This! Twitter lists are a great strategy for gaining followers. Simply create a list, give it a title, and then add people to the list. Users are notified when you add them, so there’s a good chance they will follow you.
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How to Use LinkedIn Often seen as the platform for professionals, LinkedIn is great for business-to-business networking.
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How to Use LinkedIn From consultants to CEOs, professionals of all kinds use
and potential customers. You can also use it to recruit
LinkedIn to showcase their work, find employment and stay
employees and promote your expertise by sharing updates
current on their industry. A LinkedIn company page allows
about your industry.
you to promote your products and services to current
Just the Facts! Number of users
460 million
Largest demographic
Higher-income professionals, typically 35 years and older
Best type of content
News and analysis about your industry
How often to post
Once a day
When to post
Monday through Friday, peaking Tuesday through Thursday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
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How to set up your LinkedIn company page 1. Go to linkedin.com. 2. Click “Companies” and then “Add a company.” 3. Enter your company name and company email address. 4. Sign in using your personal LinkedIn username and password. 5. Fill out the company page overview information. 6. Update your image and logo. 7. Input a description of your company. 8. Click “Publish” to save the changes. Once your company page is established, you can start sharing posts, photos and articles about your industry, or any content that might interest your existing and potential customers and colleagues in your field. To grow your followers, you should commit to publishing some type of content, such as blog posts about topics that are pertinent to your industry and followers.
You’ve Got This! If you have employees, encourage them to add your company page to their personal LinkedIn profile. This makes them a follower of your page, which helps to expand your reach.
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What to Post on Social Media Your social media content should always be relevant to the audience you’re trying to reach.
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What is Social Media Marketing?
You’ve Got This! If you want to drive customers to your website, write a compelling blog post. Then share your website link on social media, along with a few words that encourage followers to click on the link to learn more.
What to Post on Social Media Before posting anything on a social site, identify your
to these questions can help form the basis for creating and
audience and their interests. Unlike other marketing
sharing relevant content on social media sites.
channels, social media isn’t just about talking to customers and promoting your business — it’s just as important to listen to customers and respond to them.
You need content Some content is more suitable for certain social platforms
Like any discussion, you won’t get very far if your followers
than others. If you decide to share the same content on
aren’t interested in the conversation. What do your
different platforms, you will need to tweak it accordingly.
customers and potential customers care about? What
Pay attention to which posts perform well and which ones
problems are they attempting to solve? And why would
don’t engage your audience. This will help you determine
they purchase a product or service from you? The answers
what you should post moving forward.
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Here are some ideas to get you started: —
Offers, discounts and giveaways
—
Before-and-after project photos and videos
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Posts about what’s happening in the community
—
Information about upcoming events
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Blog posts from your website
—
Informative articles from news sites
—
Behind-the-scenes videos of your team at work
—
How-to videos and advice
What are hashtags? Hashtags are words or phrases that are preceded by the number or pound sign (#). They allow social media users to categorize and search for posts related to a particular topic, making it possible for you to connect with new users who share an interest related to your business. For example, if you’re a builder or remodeler, you may want to use the hashtag #KitchenRemodel; if you’re a landscaper, you could use the hashtag #PatioMakeover. Any users (and potential customers) searching for those hashtags would then find your posts.
49%
of small business owners spend more than 3 hours every week on social media marketing Manta poll
Is your business info correct on social media sites? Find out with a FREE Marketing Report from Manta. Get Free Report
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Engaging With Your Followers Successful engagement goes beyond talking to customers. You must be a good listener as well.
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Engaging With Your Followers While you may be inclined to focus all your efforts on what to post, you must also learn how to be a good listener. Start by paying attention to what’s happening on the social network. What are your customers posting? Are some of your posts performing better than others? If your followers aren’t responding, it could mean that your posts aren’t entertaining or informative, in which case it’s time to try something else. Think of social media as an easy way to get free market research. You can find out what your customers like and don’t like about your business. You can also see what your competitors are up to and how they engage with social followers. If you’re not listening, you’ll miss out on this valuable source of information.
51%
of small business owners rely on social media as their top marketing tactic —Manta poll
Do you have time to connect with customers on social media? Let Manta help … so you can get back to business. Get Started
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The Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media Etiquette When using social media, remember to practice some commonsense rules of etiquette, much like you would in any conversation.
DON’T:
DO:
— Over-share. No one wants a newsfeed that’s
— Engage with your audience rather than trying
cluttered with multiple posts about the same
to sell. It’s OK to communicate information
topic.
about your product or service, but make sure the majority of your content is informative and
— Post too frequently. With the possible exception
entertaining.
of Twitter, too much posting could annoy your — Check for spelling and grammar errors. Your
audience.
credibility depends on it. — Post a bad link. When sharing a link, make sure it works, the source is credible, and the content is timely and relevant.
— Tag with caution. Ask for permission before you tag someone in a photo. Some people may view it as an invasion of their privacy.
— Say anything you’ll regret. If you don’t want customers to see it, then don’t share it. The internet is a public forum.
— Complete your profiles. A profile that’s missing key information or a photo sends a message of unprofessionalism.
— Argue or talk about controversial subjects. It’s best to avoid any topic that might offend your audience.
— Reply to all comments and messages. If you want to engage with customers, it’s important to hold up your end of the conversation.
You’ve Got This! Mistakes happen. When they do, acknowledge the mistake and apologize—but don’t dwell on the mishap.
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Social Media Advertising Social media isn’t free, but you can make a big impact with a small advertising budget.
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You’ve Got This! When using paid advertising on any social media platform, be prepared to alter your course as needed. Keep your budget small until you know what works.
Social Media Advertising While it’s true that you can set up your social media accounts and post for free, your organic efforts won’t reach many people. The truth is, it’s nearly impossible to build a following on any social platform without paying to play. That means you need to budget for social media advertising and promoted posts. Today, most people are using social media, so the space is more crowded than ever. And with more users and businesses sharing content, it’s harder to consume it all. So why bother? The answer is simple: Your customers and your competitors are on social media, so you can’t afford to ignore it.
—
Establish a budget
—
Pay to play
You can spend as little or as much as you want. But
The types of advertising vary based on the social
determining what to spend depends on the size of
platform you’re using, but they all share some
your audience and your goals and objectives. As a
common characteristics. Perhaps the defining
small business owner, a budget of $50 to $100 for
characteristic is that you can specify your objectives
your first campaign is realistic. Some people achieve
and target your audience. In fact, you can even
results with much less. Start small, learn as you go,
hyper-target your audience based on demographics,
and be prepared to adjust your budget accordingly.
location and interests. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Remember that Facebook has been collecting data on its users since 2004.
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—
Select your objectives Every social platform is set up to walk you through the steps for initiating your ad campaign. From promoting your website to getting more followers for your social page, this user-friendly approach makes it easy to select your objective.
—
Target your audience Think about the customer you want to reach, and then target your audience based on everything from geography to gender, lifestyle, education, relationship status and more. You can also upload an email list and target the people on the list. And you can even create a look-alike list of people whose characteristics are similar to those on your email list — a great way to identify prospects who are similar to your current customers.
—
Measure your results To measure your results, monitor the performance of your ads closely, check your metrics daily, and adhere to a specified timeframe. Identifying what works and what doesn’t work is important because it allows you to make the necessary adjustments moving forward.
38%
of small business owners invest in promoted posts or social advertising Manta poll
What do customers find when they search social media for your business? Find out NOW with a free Marketing Report from Manta. Get Free Report
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Manta helps customers find your small business. Manta empowers small business owners to succeed on their own terms by helping them stand out, connect with customers and grow their companies. Our solution include a small business directory with milions of unique monthly isitors, valuable content and a suite of products to manage critical business needs. We strive to inform and inspire through learning opportunities, proprietary research, and a robust online community for dialogue and collaboration. Thousands of business owners join Manta each month. Visit manta.com to learn why.
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