Here’s what we’ll cover in this informative primer on social media:
- Powerful social media stats
- 3 reasons why every coach needs social media
- Put up a page & they will come…or maybe not?
- Identify your target market, get clear on your goals
- Which popular social platforms should you use?
- The #1 secret to social media success
Virtually everyone uses social media in some way, so what does this mean for your business?
It’s pretty simple: there could be a goldmine of untapped marketing opportunities.
It starts with effectively identifying what platform(s) your target audience is using.
Then build a strategy to connect with your audience, increase exposure, and nurture new relationships (plus so much more).
Let’s dive right into this primer on all things social…
Stats That Prove the Power of Social Media
“Why should I use social media for my business?”
We hear questions like this often and the answer is simple: just look at the stats.
Social media is a powerful marketing tool for every business, whether you’re a business coach just starting out, or a seasoned thought leader who already has a huge following.
- Social media is a marketing tool for 96% of small business owners.
- 75% of marketers credit social media marketing with increased web traffic.
- Nearly 90% say it has boosted business exposure.
Few would argue that social media is absolutely huge (and it isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon): Between 2021 and 2022, social media users actually increased more than 10%.
3 Reasons Why Every Coach Needs Social Media
Another common question we hear is “how can I use social media for my business?”
What’s the point of social media, especially when you’re a business? Plainly put, leveraging the power of social media can uplevel your marketing game in ways you may not have thought possible.
You can:
1- Build Brand Awareness – Find out where your audience is most engaged, and focus on one platform for starters. This could be a Facebook Business page, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn (a popular platform with our coaching clients), to name a few. Through the power of social media, any business can share their image and their story with the world.
2- Network, Virtually! – Expand your professional relationships, establish a following, engage with prospects…social media presents unlimited opportunities. By using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can start conversations with current and potential clients, reach out to influencers to strengthen relationships, and gain new contacts.
3- Share Expertise – Respond to customer and client requests to become a customer service rockstar, offer your advice where appropriate, and stay engaged! LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are all great places to share your knowledge and showcase you or your business as the expert in your field – and if you’re a visual type, Instagram is awesome.
What Are Your Social Media Goals?
All you have to do is put up a page and they’ll come, right? If only it were that easy.
Before you jump in, do some preliminary work first. That starts with defining your social media goals. When you can define the goal behind your act, it increases your chances of success.
Here are the top 3 social media goals our coaching & consultant clients often share:
- Increase website traffic – You can accomplish this by including links back to your website or blog in your posts and linking to your top content via your profile or bio.
- Increase Sales – Reach this goal by building (& nurturing) relationships. When you share your expertise, people will begin to trust you, and come to you when they need to buy.
- Increase followers – Attract those who have similar interests as you, or those that need your help. Be you! Engage with others and let your authentic self shine.
Getting to Know Your Target Market
Identifying who they are, what they want, and where they congregate online can help you create a clear social media strategy.
Consider whether your ideal clients are:
Businesses vs. Consumers – Business pages allow you to connect with anyone, anywhere – even those you haven’t ‘met’ yet. Personal pages require some level of acknowledgement (usually a pre-existing connection or contact).
Professionals vs. Families – LinkedIn allows professionals to share, review, and recommend each other based on specialties and experience, while Facebook can feel a bit more personal, with a focus on sharing aspects of your life with ‘friends’.
Local vs. International – Many platforms have groups that allow users to connect and talk about a similar interest regardless of geographic location. For some groups, however, the premise is the location itself (for example, Maine Entrepreneurs, Facebook Maine, etc…)
Which Platforms Should I Use?
To answer that question, you need to first understand your audience, as we explained above. If you have no idea what platform they use most, do some research to find out!
These are some of the major social media platforms in widespread use today. Your target audience might be using one or more of these (or even a different one – there are tons!):
Who hasn’t heard of this social media giant? With close to 3 billion monthly active users, Facebook continues to be a popular platform. Facebook Ads can help you increase exposure – it’s not a requirement, but it can be a useful strategy to generate engagement and action from your audience.
A massive network of active professionals is at your fingertips on this well-known social platform, a favorite among our coaching clients. It’s much more focused than say, Facebook, and can be a very effective way to both establish yourself professionally and connect with others in your field and beyond.
The social platform that made 140 characters or less famous, Twitter is nothing if not controversial. Some stats report that it’s the 9th most visited site globally, yet only about 25% of US adults use Twitter. And the site has a disproportionate ratio of males to females: men make up around 70% of the site’s users.
This fast-growing favorite is all about the visual draw. Known for being in a constant state of change, it’s considered the 4th most used social platform, with over 2 billion active monthly users. Instagram is the most downloaded app in the world. If you’ve got something visual to share, give it life on IG – the #1 favorite platform of Gen Z (for now…).
YouTube
Do you have tutorials, helpful instructional material, how-to’s, product videos or guest interviews to share? YouTube might just be the social platform for you. About 75% – that’s 3 in 4 Americans – report using this infamous site, with a male-to-female user ratio of about 11:9. For education or entertainment (or a little bit of both), YouTube is a great way to get your products and services seen.
And the #1 Secret to Social Media Success…
…is surprisingly simple: stay consistent.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re sharing Instagram Stories or posting funny memes on FB, consistency is key.
With over half of the entire world population using social media (4.65 billion, to be exact – according to the Digital 2022 April Global Statshot Report), it’s safe to say it is here to stay.
Stay tuned for our next social media-focused posts, where we’ll help you get the most out of your marketing efforts by using social strategically.
Need some help maximizing your social media efforts for your business? Schedule a complimentary consultation with Marketecs to see how our team of digital marketing experts can guide you to a smart social strategy.
