The days are gone when billboards on the side of the roads and TV adverts were the primary means of reaching consumers. Business owners can now reach out to their customers (and potential customers) directly through social media. Although there are many different social networking sites on the internet – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are still considered to be the main three, with websites such as LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest and others also accessible. Here’s what you need to do to get started on your social media strategy:

Step 1 – Claim your business name.

Figure out what profile name you ‘re going to use on social media and set up accounts on various sites to assert it. Do this for platforms that you are not planning to use right now because you might want to switch to that platform at a later date. It’s a good idea to make sure the brand name suits and is easily identifiable.

Step 2 – Build your brand.

Building your brand is essential – whether it’s on Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook, ensure you use exactly the same logo, colours, bio and banner images in order to remain consistent and visible, and keep your follower handle consistent too.

Step 3 – Focus your efforts.

If you do not have the time to post updates on six different platforms, don’t worry, just stick to one or two of them, and try to post regularly. You can always expand to other platforms when you have the time to do that, however, make sure you do not start posting and then neglect them — you don’t want a social media account that looks deserted.

Step 4 – Engage With Your Customer, Don’t Sell To Them

Users want to see engaging content that inspires their interest in your products and your business. Followers do not want to see a page of ads and to be continually sold things.

Step 5 – Consider Scheduling posts in advance.

As far as social media content is concerned, followers typically choose consistency over quantity. However, it can be difficult to post quality content on the go. Luckily, scheduling tools like Hootsuite and Sprout Social can help businesses plan ahead and control when they want to post updates. Sprout Social has also assembled a valuable list of additional social media programming tools.

How To Get Found on Google Using SEO

Known as search engine optimisation, SEO is all about optimising your website and online presence so that the right people can find your business on Google and other search engines. There are many ways in which you can improve SEO, and the process can get pretty involved for beginners. To see results for your business online follow these steps:

Step 1 – Create a Google My Business listing.

This will make your business more searchable on Google and provide basic information, but there are a number of ways to improve your listing.

Step 3 – Do keyword research.

Tools such as Moz Keyword Explorer will help you figure out what terms and phrases potential customers use in search engines.

Step 4 – Optimize your website

Those keywords you’ve been researching? Use them to fill in a copy of your website and any other material you create. It would boost search results for Google and other search engines.

Step 5 – Try out SEO tools

The keyword explorer is just the tip of the iceberg, because there are a lot of SEO resources out there that can help your company extend its online scope. Give them a try.

Step 6 – Try out ads

Google Ads can help your business show up in more search results and reach more potential clients. Facebook Business will help you do the same on Facebook and Instagram.

Step 7 – Build A Good Reputation

After setting up your Google My Business maps listing, try to encourage your customers to write positive reviews about your business. This can help to boost your online image.

All these tips may seem daunting at first, but take things one step at a time, and you’ll be surprised how much your business can expand. Just remember it’s vital to put in the time and to remain consistent. If you still aren’t sure about social media marketing and SEO for your social media pages then get in contact today, i’m pretty certain we can help you!