When someone hears about your company, what's the very next thing they will do?

They’ll google you.

They’re checking to see what your online presence looks like, and they will judge it with extreme prejudice.

If someone were to look up your business right now, what would they see? Are you represented across multiple platforms? Does your content have variety? Value? Intrigue?

If the answer is no, don’t panic! A lot of small businesses struggle with social media, and it can be hard to justify committing valuable time and resources into creating the kind of content that makes an impact.

However, be warned that cutting corners can lead to silly posting mistakes, clunky sales pitches and a feed full of half-hearted inspirational quotes. Rather than wooing new customers, as you can imagine, this tends to have the opposite effect.

How, then, do you achieve a variety of exciting content to post on social media that will drive sales and increase your pool of potential customers? The answer is a magical thing called “Balance.”

Not every post can be a slam dunk with hundreds of likes and comments (nor should you expect it to), but every post needs to be strategic and intentional. Focus on steady, consistent growth, and you can't go wrong.

Start simple. Implement these three basic types of posts and apply them using a ratio that makes sense for your audience.

Engaging: Consider your brand voice — is it funny? Passionate? Trustworthy? Whatever it is, your engagement posts should reflect that. Engaging posts are the ones that get your audience clicking and commenting. They should be the most authentic and meaningful posts you make, devoid of any sales tactics. People can smell sales tactics from a mile off, and the genuine engagement will instantly shut down.
Promotional: These are the simple, straightforward, classic kind of business posts. You're plugging your product or service, and you're not making a secret of it. While this type of content has its place, it's unadvisable to fill your feed with post after post of shameless self-promotion. A better strategy is to use promotional posts sparingly and make sure they feel relevant to your audience.
Educational: These posts tell your audience who your company really is, what your brand is about, and how your product or service works. Being in tune with what your customer knows or wants to know is essential because you want to give them actionable, useful information. Skip the fluff when writing educational posts.

What's Next?

Create your next social media calendar using a well-balanced combination of these post formats. Exactly how much of each depends on what kind of audience you have. For example, if your customers are highly-educated, discerning folk who like to get details about a product before buying, go ahead and lean more on educational posts. For the casual crowd, the ones who drink light beer, more engaging memes and jokes might be the way to go.

When you're developing a social media strategy, it always helps to have a professional in your corner. If you're interested in getting your social media marketing up and running like a well-oiled machine, contact me at jessie@allsocialjessie.com, or by phone at 248.219.5106.