Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses: A Proven Blueprint to Get Started in 2021 (That Actually Works!)

Since the dawn of social media, social media marketing has been around, but its importance and usage are only growing.

With over 1 billion users on Facebook alone (and counting!), it’s safe to say that any business would be foolish not to take advantage of this platform.

But how can a small business owner get started connecting to such a huge audience?

This guide will give you a proven strategy for starting your own social media marketing campaign, from choosing the right platforms to set up an effective schedule that utilizes these tools.

With this step-by-step guide, you can get started with social media in just hours—not weeks—and have it paid off in no time.

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Define Your Goals and Objectives

Before you begin your journey into the vast world of social media, it’s important to define what you hope to achieve due to these efforts. Having a clear goal will ensure that you’re putting the right time into an endeavor that will actually pay off for your business.

For example, are you hoping to:

• Increase brand awareness through content marketing
• Encourage customer engagement with a live chat platform
• Drive traffic to your website by including links in social media posts
• Possibly all three (or something else entirely)

Defining your goals is an important aspect of any successful marketing campaign, so don’t mistake skipping this step when it comes to social media. Write down a list of objectives for yourself and put them somewhere to refer back to them often.

Step 2: Choose Your Platforms

It may seem tempting to create a presence on every social media platform that has ever existed, but this is an overwhelming approach.

Instead of spreading yourself too thin, determine which platforms will bring the most value to your business. To do this, you’ll want to consider both the demographics of your target audience and the type of content that you’ll be producing.

For example, if you’re selling a product primarily to young adults living in urban areas, Instagram will most likely be your best option. A business catering to older professionals on the flip side might get more value from LinkedIn.

It’s also important to think about what types of content you’ll be producing. If your marketing plan includes photos and videos, you should focus on platforms that will help share this kind of media.

While some sites have better mobile apps than others, it’s also important to think about the best user experience. Give yourself a break and choose just one or two platforms that are super easy to use. The last thing you want is for your audience to be frustrated with an overcomplicated interface, so keep it simple and choose only the best platforms for your target demographic.

Step 3: Determine Your Resources and Budget

While many free tools are available on social media sites, sometimes you’ll want to purchase a premium tool. If this is the case, make sure your budget will allow for these purchases before getting too far along in your planning.

When choosing free options, be careful not to overwhelm yourself with multiple tools at once either. Making one platform work well can be difficult enough as it is—you don’t want to be spending too much time trying to learn the ins and outs of multiple tools at once.

Spend some time thinking about how much time you’ll need (and will realistically have) to devote to your social media marketing campaign, as well as what kind of budget you can afford for this endeavor.

Step 4: Determine Your Best Audience Engagement Strategy

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of creating a social media marketing plan, it’s important to determine how you’ll be engaging with your audience in real-time.

One of the best ways to do this is by setting up an auto-responder series that will help guide your audience through the different stages of engagement.

For example, assume you’ve created a Facebook page for your business and have a few posts up already—how do you want to respond to the comments being left by your audience? Do you plan on engaging with them there, or would it be more beneficial to direct them to an email inbox that you can check more frequently?

The answer to this question will help determine what kind of autoresponder series you need. Keep in mind and it may take a little trial and error before you find what works best for your needs.

 Step 5: Determine Your Ideal Schedule

Finally, your schedule is the last piece to help you determine the best way to approach your social media marketing plan.

How much time can you realistically dedicate to this? And when do you have time to create new content without it interfering with other responsibilities? Once you’ve answered these questions, then you’ll be able to determine your social media marketing schedule more easily.

Other Helpful Tips for Creating Your Social Media Marketing Plan

Now that you know how to create a social media marketing plan, what other tips can help make this process easier?

By following these helpful tips, you’ll ensure your plan has the best chance of success:

1. Be Authentic

Part of what makes social media marketing so effective is the human element—your actual presence on these platforms shows that you care enough to be there in the first place! For this reason, it’s important not to try too hard and instead allow your personality to shine through naturally.

2. View Social Media as a Conversation

What would happen if you went to a networking event and only stood in the corner, not talking to anyone? No one is going to want to work with you—or buy from you. The same thing applies when using social media for business.

Instead of making it all about your business interests, try to get to know your audience first. By establishing a relationship with them, they’ll be more likely to want to work with you.

3. Create Content Strategically

Don’t just put up whatever comes to mind— take the time to plan out what kinds of content might resonate best with your audience, then share it on social media.

For example, if you plan to sell pet products on your social media pages in the future, a great way to reach out to your audience could be with a blog post about “fun ways to spruce up the house for your new puppy” through your website’s Facebook page.

Using specific examples like this can lead to increased views, likes, and shares, which can translate into more business for your company!

Summary of Steps to Create Your Social Media Marketing Plan

Step 1: Think about the benefits you’ll gain from creating a social media marketing plan. 

Step 2: Determine who your ideal client is. This will help make connections easier. 

Step 3: Brainstorm ways to create a plan that aligns with your goals. 

Step 4: Create a content calendar and schedule posts for all of your social media accounts in advance. 

Step 5: Determine your ideal schedule. 

Step 6: Be authentic, view social media as a conversation, and create content strategically.

Take Away

Social media is a powerful way to connect with your customers and potential clients. By following these helpful tips, you’ll be able to create a social media marketing plan that will help grow your business in the best possible ways. What are some of the benefits you’ve seen from using social media for marketing? Let us know by leaving a comment below!