Social media is a wonderful tool to drive traffic to your website…but is it for you? I regularly tell my clients that no website can function properly as an island. There needs to be a number of reputable links into and out-of a website, in order to rank well with the search engines, which, of course, results in more potential clients visiting the website. And due to the native traffic on social media websites, is there any reason why one would not want to create a social media business page to drive traffic?
Well, there is one big reason – “Lack of Time.”
I, for one, have failed in properly using my business’ social media pages. I created a Facebook page a number years ago, as everyone said it was a “must.” I also created a business Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn page. But, in order for social media to work as it should, it must be updated regularly to properly interact with followers, which will result in more followers…and ultimately, more clients. I simply did not have the time to keep my business sites updated, so they were virtually dormant.
There are specific rules for each social media website as to how many times a day to post updates or information of interest to your clients. I will not get into the details here, as there are plenty of blog posts written about the optimum number of times a day to post, what kind of things to say, etc. But, if you are like me, as a busy, self-employed, business owner, how do you find time to post 2-3 times a day to Facebook and Instagram, 4-6 times a day to Twitter, 1-2 times a day to LinkedIn…and the myriad of other social media websites now out there? I struggle to come up with that much to say in a day.
We all know marketing is important, but it can be overwhelming when trying to juggle everything yourself. So, what to do?
There are a few options:
- Hire a social media expert. It is a cheaper option than having an employee, and these experts know the ins-and-outs of how to properly market your business on social media.
- As small business owners typically have to do, ask family and friends to help. I’m sure you have someone you know that spends hours on social media, and are considered “savvy.” As a caveat, I would recommend having no more than two helpers, and have them research using social media for business, as there are different rules for business vs. personal use.
- Start small, and make updating your social media one of your To-Do List items. You know your clients better than anyone else, and will best be able to communicate what they will like to read. Pick only one social media website to focus on, and set a goal for how often you will post. Then, make it a priority to stick to the schedule.
If neither of these options are feasible, then it would be more beneficial to put your social media efforts on the back-burner for now. Unfortunately, it is more detrimental to have an inactive social media page, than not having one at all. It does not mean you have “failed.” It just means that you have a lot on your plate right now. But, place it on your list of future goals, so it does not get forgotten down the road. And in the meantime, jot down ideas you think about throughout the day…things you would like to share with your clients, articles or news items you would like to share that would be of interest, or common questions/concerns asked by your clients. These are the perfect things to share with your business followers, and a list helps to make the concept of contributing to social media not so daunting.
Right now, I am working on Option #3. I’ve chosen to focus solely on Facebook. (Thankfully, Instagram can now cross-post, so it makes it easier. However, each platform SHOULD have different content for each audience…but, baby steps! 🙂 ) I am not yet up to the optimum number of posts per day, but I have set a goal to post at least once a week. (As I have built and manage a very active social media marketing effort at my “day job,” I just seem to run out of things to say on my own business page at the end of the day. However, I have seen first-hand how beneficial social media has been, if utilized effectively and regularly. It has resulted in our Academy ranking higher than the other 39 in the country!)
Social media is a wonderful tool to drive business…and it really is free publicity. It just requires a certain investment of time, which may not be feasible for you right at this moment. But, that does not have to mean “never.”
Until next issue…Best wishes in your endeavors!