How to improve your social media marketing
Learn some expert social media tips to get your business noticed
Social media – what you need to know for your business
Feel overwhelmed by all things social media? We kick off our new series with a quick guide to each channel and give top tips on improving your profile
In the UK, over 80% of the population uses social media. From Instagram and Facebook to WhatsApp, TikTok, Twitter and more, these platforms are used for an average of 110 minutes each day!
All this really does mean that social media is a must for any business that wants to thrive, not just survive. It’s key to building your brand and boosting awareness with your target customers.
If you’re new to social media, it can be quite daunting, but doesn’t need to be! There are a lot of platforms to choose from and finding the right one can be a little tricky. In this five-part series, we’re going to focus on four of the popular platforms that will suit an out of home business: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, breaking down the difference between them, sharing tips and tricks, and busting the myths.
Your audience will dictate which social channel is best for you
First, you need to understand your target audience or, in simple terms, your customers: who are they? What do they use social media for?
An audience tends to be segmented into four main groups, split into age categories. This is because people’s age has a huge influence on how they interact with social media and the platforms they use. You’ll see these categories being used a lot, so it’s good to understand what they mean.
Which channel is best for what?
You don’t have to use every social channel – some just won’t be right for your customers. Take a look at the channels below to work out which ones to focus on:
- The largest of all the social media platforms with more than 57 million users in the UK
- Most used by Gen X and Baby Boomers, so those aged 43+. Only 1 in 4 UK users are aged 25-34
- Great for attracting more customers and communicating more effectively with your customers
- Share events, information and special offers
- Use for photos, quizzes and questionnaires/polls
- Over 34 million users in the UK
- Use for promoting special offers
- Photos, videos and questionnaires/polls work well
- Instagram is best for Gen Z, Y and X. 30% of users are 25-34 and 26.1% are 18-24
- 19 million users in the UK
- 33% of users are 15-24 and over half of UK’S users are 35 and older
- Often used as a customer service tool for businesses
- Sharing information and special offers are good for Twitter
- Quizzes are particularly effective
TIKTOK
- The most downloaded app in 2021
- 24% of users are ages 15-24
- Use it to attract more customers
- It’s for video content
Try these top tips to improve your social media profiles
1
Put together a social media strategy – your aims and what content and messages you want to post, and when. Put time aside each week to do a plan rather than trying to remember every day.
2
Your profile bio and ‘about’ page is important – customers will look here for your website and a link to book a table. Ensure your contact details and address is kept up to date.
3
Monitor your pages regularly. If you can’t respond quickly to direct messages, set up an auto reply and give a contact email. Remember, this is customer service too. Don’t just post – engage.
4
Post regularly – three to five times a week if you can. Don’t just post for the sake of it, though. Think about what will make customers want to follow you and then visit your venue.
5
Consider using social media influencers to help boost your reach and spread the word. Some will charge a fee, others will be happy with a free meal or drink in exchange for posting about your business. More on this in a future issue...
Do you need to think about GDPR?
Generally you don’t need to be concerned about GDPR on social media but if you’re doing anything that collects data – such as running competitions – you must be aware of the correct protocols to follow. This can be as simple as having a page on your website about a customer’s rights in relation to GDPR.
Related
