If there are any small business marketers who are not yet aware of the awesome reach and possibilities of social media branding and advertising, there is yet another study that drives home this point. According to Gaebler.com, the U.S. Bank Annual Small Business Survey has found that 39 percent of small businesses use social media to reach customers and raise awareness. This is an increase from 32 percent in 2010.
The breakdown by individual website is even more informative. Facebook is used by 75 percent of companies, while 57 percent use LinkedIn and 23 percent use Twitter. With the rise in Facebook usage by small businesses come new ways to harness its benefits. Here are a few more things to consider when creating a social networking marketing campaign.
Localize Facebook ads
Using Facebook mostly means creating an online identity and raising awareness among potential customers. It can be useful for offering discounts, providing opportunities for customers to win promotional products or simply sharing a company’s story. Facebook ads are also an effective medium through which small businesses can access consumers. An important consideration to make when purchasing commercial space on Facebook is to make sure that local businesses create ads that are designed to target users who are located in the appropriate area.Otherwise, there is very little incentive for users to find out more about a company.
Target ads at current followers
Market researcher TBG Digital Test surveyed business owners who use Facebook ads and found that companies find much more success when their ads are targeted toward people who are already interested in following them, the Inside Facebook blog reports. This means that instead of trying to amass new customers and get them interested in exclusive deals through Facebook ads, it is better to concentrate on the existing “friends” who have already joined a business’ network.
Optimize text for search engines
Stepping into the realm of Facebook might seem like entering an entirely separate internet microcosm. However, Google never rests, and it is important for raising brand awareness online to continue to maintain rigorous search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, even when making posts on Facebook or any other social networking site. Many products, such as InboundWriter, are capable of reviewing text destined for a variety of platforms to ensure that it complies with Google’s search algorithms.