If you’re a business owner, you’re in good company. According to the Small Business Administration (SBA) the state of Florida alone is home to 2.5 million small businesses. It’s also super friendly for startups, ranking as the number five state in the country for venture capital funding.

While these numbers are promising, they also mean that you’ll have to work harder to stand out in the crowd. Learning how to successfully promote your business is critical for your success.

Social media continues to be one of the best advertising options for startups. Start with these seven tips and you’ll be well on your way towards making a name for yourself online.

1. Humanize Your Brand

One of the most important things to remember when creating your social media presence is that people do not care about your company. Whether you’re a tech startup with a product that’s going to change the world or a stay-at-home mom selling homemade jam, the facts are still the same.

People don’t go on social media to learn about companies. They go there to engage with other people and to be entertained. Keep this in mind when creating your posting strategy.

Instead of focusing on facts and figures, or heavily promoting your products, make it a point to humanize your brand. This could mean anything from posting funny memes and cute animal videos to sharing behind-the-scenes videos and photos of your staff.

Each time you create a post, ask yourself if it’s doing anything to tap into the user’s emotions. If the answer is no, do yourself (and your followers) a favor and just skip it.

2. Hold a Contest or Giveaway

It’s no secret that people like free stuff. Holding contests or giveaways on your social media platforms is a great way to attract new followers and engage the ones you already have.

This could range from asking people to like or share a post to hosting an elaborate photo content where users can vote for their favorites. The latter is an excellent idea because it helps you build up user-generated content.

What is user-generated content, you ask? It’s basically anything that users post about your product or brand. This could include photos and videos, written testimonials, and more.

When your followers see other real people using your products and talking about how great they are, this helps to build up trust in your brand in a way that you simply can’t do yourself. It’s incredibly inexpensive (sometimes completely free!) and is also extremely effective.

3. Find Your Community

Creating groups on Facebook and LinkedIn is an excellent ways to engage your core followers on a whole new level. This fosters a deep sense of community. If you provide valuable insights and information as the leader of the group, it also gives you a chance to build up even more credibility.

You can also look for niche groups to join. This can help put you in front of the right people and give you the opportunity to create some strategic relationships that you otherwise might not have come across.

One word of warning, though. Make sure you go into these groups with the attitude of “givers gain.”

This means that you won’t blatantly promote yourself and your brand every chance you get. Instead, participate in conversations and offer advice and insight where appropriate without throwing in a sales pitch. Others in the group will appreciate this and will be more likely to refer you business when the time is right.

4. Engage with Your Followers

One mistake that businesses often make with social media is to “post and run.” You can’t expect success if you just drop a post and disappear for a week. Instead, you need to monitor your posts and engage with your followers.

This means responding to comments and answering private messages right away. Doing so will remind your followers that they’re working with an actual person instead of a faceless business. This is another critical element in building up that all-important trust.

5. Invest in Video

Video is definitely the way of the future, in social media and on almost every other platform. Any time you have the opportunity to lean towards the visual and away from the written word, do it.

It’s also important to note that you don’t need a major Hollywood production to take advantage of the video trend. Short, bite-sized videos of decent quality are perfectly fine for engaging your audience on social media.

6. Pay Attention to Analytics

Social media marketing does require time, effort, and money. So, it makes sense to ensure that you’re getting a decent return on your investment. Tracking your results on each platform with analytics software is critical for your success. Doing so will allow you to quickly see what’s working and what isn’t so you can make adjustments on the fly.

7. Go with the Pros

If you’re reading these tips and wondering how you’re possibly going to have time to implement them while still running your business, then you’re ready for one of the most important tips of all – go with the pros!

Social media algorithms are always changing, and it takes an expert to truly stay on top of all the ways to optimize your presence. Don’t make the mistake of leaving something this important up to chance. Find a great social media pro who can ensure you always put your best foot forward online.

Promote Your Business – The Right Way!

At Eraser Farm, we have all the tools and experience you need to promote your business the right way. From brand positioning and perfecting your user experience to integrated advertising campaigns and social media strategy, we’ve got you covered! Contact us today to discuss your goals and get started!