Just how prevalent is social media for small businesses? It’s fair to say it’s nearly universal. Nearly 87% of small business owners say they use Facebook for marketing, according to a new survey from G2 Crowd via eMarketer.
So, how’s it going for them?
There are mixed results here. 38% said it was the most effective marketing channel. On the flip side, however, 29% said it was their least successful channel – more than any other in the survey.
Some of the reasons small businesses find Facebook effective are the low cost and targeting options. Combined with traditional media, social media and digital ads can enhance and multiply branding efforts.
Some of the reasons small businesses don’t find Facebook effective in reaching customers is that they try to do it themselves without being able to invest the time and effort it takes, they rely on free or low-cost solutions, and don’t create posts that will convert.
What works best?
You can’t just set up a Facebook page and wait for it to attract customers. It takes an active, and consistent, approach to work. Here are 10 strategies for success:
- Define your goals
- Define your target market
- Decide how much you want to spend
- Create your Facebook ads
- Optimize your ads and placement
- Use strong visuals
- Write great headlines
- Test your ad performance
- Use video whenever possible
- Measure and adjust
If it sounds time consuming and complicated, it can be. Consider hiring a social media marketing firm to maximize your efforts and get a strong ROI.
Paul Dughi.com 