Social media can be a really worthwhile marketing tool for small businesses, but it's worth remembering that it's not the Field of Dreams – if you build it, they might not come.
Before you start tweeting and Facebooking in earnest, you'll need to set yourself some SMART objectives (i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-based). We've put together some examples of what they might look like, and how to take steps towards achieving them.
1. Get 1000 Twitter followers by Q4.
Being active on the network can really increase the amount of your followers. Participate in group chats, tweet people who've mentioned your business, follow people who might be interested in your brand and get your Twitter account out there by printing it on your business cards and including it in your email signature.
2. Double social media traffic to your website in six months.
Boost social media traffic by making sure your profiles are filled out properly with a link to your website and by sharing blog posts and/or new products on Twitter and Facebook. You can use the network's statistics to find out when your followers are most active and therefore most likely to see (and click) your posts.
3. Increase social shares by 50% by Q3.
Prize draws are the obvious way to encourage people to share your content (although Facebook has strict guidelines on this, so tread carefully). The best way to encourage people to share is to create content that they want others to see. Social share buttons and friendly reminders (e.g. 'did you enjoy this article? Click here to share it with your friends') make it easier for people to do this.
4. Increase e-commerce conversions by 25% through social media advertising.
Sharing your most popular items on Facebook or Twitter, sharing links to new collections and announcing flash sales as and when they're happening can help to entice buyers and draw them towards your website.
5. Reduce e-commerce basket abandonment by 25% in three months.
Using social login, rather than asking people to sign up for an account on your website, can remove one of the biggest barriers to checking out and can help to reduce your cart abandonment rates.
6. Double your customers from your target demographic by Q4.
Focus your social media advertising efforts on the channels preferred by your target demographic, for example Instagram is most popular with low-income urban women aged 18-29, while Pinterest is more popular with high-earning suburban women aged 18-40.
7. Double your newsletter sign-ups through social media in three months.
Mention your business's newsletter on your social channels at least once a week, preferably the day before it's sent out. Tease followers with content you'll be mentioning, and include an easy-to-find sign-up link on all of your social profiles.
8. Increase traffic from Pinterest by 150% by Q3.
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the big three social networks, but niche platforms like Pinterest are also worth exploring in your marketing strategy. Pinterest is a major driver of traffic (representing 17% of traffic to e-commerce sites vs 5% on Twitter) and sales (75% of users have bought something because they've seen it on the network).
If you’re at the early stages of developing your brand on social media, setting goals the ones above and working towards achieving them can seem like a daunting task. So for help with everything from signing up to setting a strategy, take a look at our step-by-step guide to social media.
