Whether you love it or don't use social media in your personal life, social media marketing can be a game-changer for a small business owner. It takes just a few minutes to set up a business account on social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok after that, all it costs you is sweat equity. It can be one of the most cost-effective channels in your digital marketing strategy.
Here are three reasons you need to up your small business social media strategy now:
REASON 1. 90% of people across generations research their home renovation needs online.
Your business needs to show up wherever people might be researching the products and services you offer. If you're not online, they won't find you.
Don't assume that the only people on social media are Millennials. Although most didn't grow up with the internet, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers also turn to search engines and social media to research products and services (Source: Review42).
- 90.4% of Millennials
- 77.5% of Gen Xers
- 48.2% of Baby Boomers
What's the opportunity for home service businesses?
The 2020 Pandemic turned the housing industry on its head. With working remotely, the desire for more space and low-interest rates created a housing boom, with millennials leading the charge.
Here's where it gets really interesting- especially for home service businesses.
For many reasons, including student loan debt and competitive bidding, Millennials, who account for 37% of homebuyers (according to Zillow), are buying fixer-uppers. Baby Boomers and Gen-X, on the other hand, are staying put and investing in remodeling. In short, all homeowners are in the market for home improvement services and will start their search online.
REASON 2. Companies that use video are growing revenue 49% faster than those that don't.
Move over Facebook, YouTube may be the second most popular social media platform as people spend more time on it. Think about the last time you had a DIY project. How many videos on the subject did you watch before you got started? And don’t count TikTok out for business, it’s catching up to YouTube quickly. By 2025, there will be 24.2 million US TikTok users ages 18 to 24 and 26.6 million US YouTube users.
By including "how to" videos in your content marketing strategy, you'll have:
- A piece of shareable content that can show up in the video section of Google search results (think top of search results domination).
- Several more opportunities to get visibility, become the local trusted advisor and be top of mind when they can't fix the problem themselves.
Best of all, you don't need fancy equipment or a videographer. It's perfectly acceptable to use a smartphone. And there are tons of free editing apps to get as creative as you want with just a few clicks.
REASON 3. Almost 90% of marketers say their social marketing efforts have increased exposure for their business, and 75% say they’ve increased traffic.
With recent changes to Google algorithms, there are many more opportunities to dominate search results with the right content in various formats, posted on different platforms, including social media. Strengthen your content marketing plan by concentrating on what your customers want and need, and adjust your approach to match the search engine requirements in all areas. This will bring a significant surge in your organic search visibility and create more chances to bring people to your website.
Tips for Marketing Your Small Business on Social Media
Achieving success with a social media campaign for a small business requires interesting, unique content that piques curiosity, solves a problem, and entertains. Reposting curated content is ok if you add commentary, ask for opinions, or tag people who you specifically want to reach.
Do you need to maintain a presence on all of them?
No. That would be too time-consuming and ineffective. Social media marketing isn't a competition to have the most accounts online. But rather, it's about providing the right content in the right format and on channels that reach your ideal customer. It's also about being realistic about your time. Social media isn't a one-and-done tactic. The only way to make social media work for your business is to post regularly and engage with your audience (usually through comments).
The best approach for small businesses is to concentrate on a few major social networks and tailor your content to fit each one.
Tailoring content doesn't mean a different message for each platform. Think of variations on a theme. Today's most compelling content is bite-sized and easily digested. Social media users aren't looking for a dissertation; they're skimming. Grab their attention. Say what you want to say (sometimes in 120 characters or less). And give them a link for more information on your website, to schedule an estimate, or some other action you'd like them to take.
Top 3 social media platforms for engaging home service customers
Facebook: A business Facebook page is an excellent channel for building positive word-of-mouth for your business via Facebook reviews, company mentions, or other user-generated content. Give your customers plenty of opportunities to brag or join the conversation with before and after pictures, project highlights, testimonials, quizzes, memes, quick tips, seasonal reminders, specials, employee shout-outs, and more.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn users are typically professionals. It's the number one social media platform for B2B and can be very effective for developing your commercial business or creating relationships with manufacturers.
Twitter: Twitter users consume hundreds if not thousands of posts per day. Your content will need to compete with every celebrity, news channel, or company your target audience follows in real-time. Seasonal reminders, completed projects, links to case studies, industry opinions and observations, and hashtags will help grab their attention and hopefully get a comment or retweet.
How social media helps grow your business
While tempting, it's not a good idea to use social media for a hard sell. The key here is engagement. Most of your followers will be loyal customers. You need to stay relevant and top of mind.
If those loyal customers like what you post, they’ll share it with their friends. When promoting on Facebook, even if someone simply clicks the “Like” button on one of your posts, Facebook will notify their friends and followers that they liked your post or page. And every social media channel has its own version of a “Share” button. The more people interact with your content, the wider your reach becomes. The more people you can drive to your site, the more opportunities you'll create.
