5 things entrepreneurs should know before starting on social media
Happy Entrepreneurship Month!
Whether you’re preparing to launch your own business, or have already kicked things off, you may be considering joining one or more social media platforms. Before you do start or expand on social media, there are several things you should consider.
Let’s take a look at the 5 things entrepreneurs should know before starting on social media!
You don’t have to be on every platform
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again and again, you DO NOT have to be on every platform. You want to use your resources such as time and money wisely, especially if, like many small businesses, you have limited resources. So starting off small on one or two platforms makes sense. Aside from resources, certain platforms may not be a good fit for your target audience as well. For example, users who fall into the 55+ age category use TikTok the least, so if your business targets people in that age range, TikTok likely won’t be right for you. And that leads us to our next point...
Know your audience
Knowing your audience is fundamental! Before you start on social media you NEED know your audience AND know their social media habits. Think about and research information such as:
Who they are: What do they like, what is their age, income level, etc.
What are their social media habits: What platforms do they use the most, what other brands and creators do they follow and interact with, and more.
Knowing this info will help you create a social media strategy and start off on the right foot.
And again, that leads us to the next point...
Social Media is not a strategy
You may be thinking you’re ready to jump into social media and will post xyz type of content, but it’s important to consider strategy. Simply posting whatever on social media isn’t a strategy. However, you can (and should) have a social media strategy which outlines your goals, how you will achieve your goals, and how you will measure your goals.
Track and monitor key metrics
As mentioned above, if you’re considering joining social media, it’s important to identify your goals and how you will measure those goals. Once you’ve figured that out, create a tracking sheet (I.e., on Excel) that outlines all of the metrics you want to keep track of. Once you’ve launched your business, be sure to continuously monitor your account insights and track them (these can be accessed from your platform of choice). Tracking these statistics will help you measure your success and will help you identify opportunities for growth. For example, if one of your goals is to increase visibility, one of the metrics you track would be reach (how many users see your content).
Resources
It's really important that entrepreneurs know the resources that are available to them because, to be honest, it can be hard to maintain a social media profile, especially multiple! Check out this blog for a list of some of our favourite apps for creating social media content, you can also use social media management platforms such as Later to help you manage your accounts. Trust us, these resources can really come in handy!
And a little bonus tidbit you need to know...
Growth (usually) doesn’t happen overnight
We’ve all heard about those accounts that went viral or exploded in popularity overnight, but that often isn’t the case, so don’t worry if you don’t see tons of growth over a short period of time and don’t be discouraged!
Want even more tips? We recently shared 4 things to think about before doing digital marketing for your small business.
Need a little extra guidance starting on social media? Book your FREE 20-minute consultation with us!