The Power of Social Media

It’s no secret that social media is the easiest way to connect with people all over the world. The ability to be seen by anyone and everyone makes it an extremely useful tool for any business owner. Social media has also given rise to a growing list of communities filled with people who share similar interests and tastes. This provides plenty of opportunities for small businesses owners wanting to leverage this environment to help boost sales. This blog will take a look at the opportunities that lie amongst the top social media platforms.

Facebook

Changing Demographics

The oldest platform on this list, Facebook, has evolved and matured drastically since its inception in 2004. One of the most notable changes worth keeping in mind is the shift in demographics. As Facebook has aged, so has its population. In 2010, 18-25 year old's made up 29% of users, but over the last decade, that number has fallen to 18%, being replaced by more mature users. With a large proportion of your shoppers being homeowners, this provides a great opportunity to reach new customers.

Manage a Business Page

Facebook allows sellers to create their own business page to list their products and services. This service even comes equipped with ad campaign software and insight tools to help run targeted ads to find new customers at a fraction of the cost of Amazon ads. This option is great for small businesses who want to avoid the higher costs of running and maintaining dedicated websites or shops.

     Reddit

Leverage Experienced Consumers

Reddit is often an underutilized and overlooked resource by many small businesses. One of the greatest benefits of Reddit is its subreddit communities which are packed full of knowledgeable and like-minded people for virtually every topic. This provides opportunities to learn what consumers value most and subsequently use that data to leverage a superior product. Are your bath towels softer and more absorbent than your competitors? Send a few samples to knowledgeable Redditors on subreddit r/BuyItForLife and have them leave their expert reviews on your website.

     Instagram

Build a Theme

Instagram’s photo-centric platform provides a great place to show off your products and develop a personalized theme/brand. Specialize in country-style table and kitchen linen? Build the country theme into your shop. With a high-res phone camera in almost everyone’s pocket, capturing great quality photos on a budget has never been easier, and Instagram provides the perfect way to show it off.

Hashtags

Hashtags are a great way to increase visibility and attract more people. Interaction with your posts will determine where you will rank for a given hashtag, with more popular posts being higher up. However, a great strategy is to pair more generic hashtags with niche ones as those are more likely to convert into customers. For example, in our country-style linen example, you can pair “kitchen design” with “country linen” to reach both a broad and narrow market. With the relatively new addition of ‘Instagram Shopping’, you can now tag products in your photos to bring interested consumers straight to the product listing.

  Twitter

Engage with Customers

While customer engagement is easily accessible on every platform, Twitter is one of the ones that let you do it best. With the ability to have curious users publicly inquire about your product, you are cast a spotlight to showcase your knowledge/expertise and address praise or issues customers may have, a feature not available on sites like Amazon. Twitter is also a great place for product drops as it allows you to easily provide consumers with live updates.   

Build Brand Personality

Twitter also allows you to share content outside of your products to help sculpt your brand personality. Care deeply about sustainable business practices? Share content about local initiatives and emerging sustainability efforts. Not only does this help potential customers learn about your company values, it also provides a great opportunity to highlight your Oeko-Tex Certified textiles.

  Pinterest

Creativity & Sales Funnel Strategy

Pinterest is all about photo creativity. This provides an opportunity to display your products in an aesthetically pleasing way. While interaction with users is more limited compared to other platforms, Pinterest is a great way to direct traffic to your website or other social media (like Instagram!) helping to start the top of a sales funnel. But more on that in the future.

Key Takeaway

With so many social media platforms at your disposal, it might feel overwhelming to try and manage them all. To help, focus on a key component of your company you would like to improve. Do you have an aesthetic you are dying to show? Launch an Instagram or Pinterest page. Do you need more reviews on your website? Reach out to Redditors. Need a simple place to just get started? Join Facebook. With the right strategy and enough effort, each social media channel can help you get the results you need to grow your business.