As a small business owner, you know that it takes continuous effort and work to increase your online presence and reach the eyes of your target audience. But now that we’re well into the digital age, the question of how important social media for small businesses is remains a pressing question for many—despite how widespread and integral to daily life these platforms have become.
As a small business owner, you know that it takes continuous effort and work to increase your online presence and reach the eyes of your target audience. But now that we’re well into the digital age, the question of how important social media for small businesses is remains a pressing question for many—despite how widespread and integral to daily life these platforms have become.
With billions of users on social platforms and more than half of U.S. adults reporting that they use Instagram alone, it’s never been more clear that social media for small businesses is crucial. Utilizing social media for your business’ growth and recognition will help ensure that you’re connected with your customers while keeping you competitive. To do this, you’ll need a social media content strategy that meets your business needs.
At R Public Relations, we know the most effective ways to build and integrate a content strategy for businesses across a range of social media platforms—from Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to LinkedIn.
Below, let’s dig into what exactly a social media content strategy is and how you can get started creating your own.
What is a Social Media Content Strategy?
A social media content strategy is a roadmap for how your small business will create, manage and optimize its online presence. It includes:
- A social media posting schedule
- How social content will be created
- Social media goals
- Target audience demographics
- Specific plans for each social media platform
Your social media content strategy will help you and your team fully understand how to best manage your online presence across your chosen social media—from how to tackle content creation for different platforms to keeping track of social analytics like conversion rates and engagement.
Effective social media for small businesses requires a carefully planned content strategy so you can connect with your audience in the most relevant ways for your business. This can be through targeted social media campaigns, engaging content, building influencer partnerships, and building a consistent brand voice on your socials.
How to Create a Social Media Content Strategy
The wonderful thing about social media is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Each small business is completely unique in its own right and that requires your social media content strategy to be distinctive. But when it comes to creating your content strategy, there are some specific methods you can use to create a strong, long-term strategy for your business.
Create social media goals that align with your business intentions.
No social media content strategy can begin without setting social media goals for your small business. Clearly defined goals will lay a strong foundation for your entire content strategy, including the social content you’ll be creating and sharing. To create clear goals, you’ll want to consider what you’re looking to get out of your social media specifically and ensure that your goals align with your long-term business intentions.
For example, say that three of your social media goals are to increase brand awareness, grow revenue and build a strong community around your small business. These are all clearly defined goals for which you can utilize your social media. They also tie directly into your small business’s growth. By creating social goals that align with your business intentions, you’ll ensure that you can’t lose sight of your social media content strategy.
Determine the best social media platforms for your small business.
You may already be on social media platforms and you’re probably aware that many large businesses have accounts on all available social platforms. But as a small business, it’s imperative that you take a step back and ask yourself what social media networks are absolutely key for you.
Consider the following factors as you determine the best social platforms for your business:
- Think about what features each social media offers and what would be beneficial to your business. For example, Instagram and TikTok are visually-driven platforms that center photos and videos while LinkedIn is more focused on text-based content.
- Figure out where your target audience is spending most of their time—younger and older audiences tend to use different platforms. About 42% of Millennials are using Meta Threads while Baby Boomers are still going strong on Facebook. You’ll want to meet your audience where they are.
- Consider the type of social content you want to focus on and how you want to engage with your audience. Will you be creating videos or blogs? Do you want to encourage ongoing conversations or be able to participate in social trends?
Keeping these factors in mind will help you choose which platforms will have the most impact for your business and social media content strategy.
Put together a social media content plan.
Within your larger social media content strategy, you’ll need to put together a specific content plan. This plan will be a defining outline for the type of content that you and your team are creating for each social platform you’re on. Keep factors like social media features, what type of content your target audience engages with most, and what industry content works best in mind while creating this plan.
HubSpot’s 2024 Consumer Trends Report found that 63% of consumers feel that content posted by brands on social media is authentic or relatable. You can use this kind of data, along with what your target audience enjoys seeing from you, as a guide to creating your content plan. Your target audience might be more keen to engage with long-form blog posts over videos or vice-versa—factor what content they engage with most into your content plan. A content plan will serve you in many ways, allowing you to plan social posts in advance and ensuring that your social media content strategy is relevant.
It’s Time to Consider Your Social Media Content Strategy
Creating a social media content strategy for your small business can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. By taking it one step at a time, you can build a long-term content strategy that is specially tailored for your business’ needs and will help you get the most out of your chosen social platforms.
For expert PR help on tackling social media for small businesses, contact RPR today to schedule a discovery call.