It is without a doubt that social media has become the go-to medium for marketing. It’s quick, easy to access and almost always free. However, without proper strategies social media marketing can be rather dull, or like the kids today like to say; Basic! So how do you, as a business, make each of your social media posts pop?

For starters, no two platforms are the same and as such it will be frivolous to share the same content on different platforms. Yes, there are various elements of a post that are considered common like tagging and the use of hashtags, but for the most part each post should be uniquely designed for the platform you’re using.

This article will explore some elements of social media posts that are neutral to most platforms and review the best practices when using LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

The not so basic…basics!

Understanding your audience

Regardless of the social media platform you’re using, it is critical that you understand your audience and their interests. There are many tools within the different social media platforms that can help you analyze your specific target groups but for the sake of this article we will outline the general large groups. For instance, LinkedIn users are business driven professionals while Instagram is more playful and creative, both platforms can deliver the same message, but each needs to be fashioned to attract the attention of a specific group and this needs to be at the back of your mind as you create your posts.

Old is gold, but consistency is Platinum!

Now that you’ve developed a following, it is critical that your posts are consistent. Your audience needs to believe that if all else fail, they can still rely on your post to show up. I understand it may seem a bit dramatic but with the pace social media is moving with today, you need to build a relationship with your audience, and you can do this by showing up regularly. People react positively to patterns and with attention spans getting shorter and new contents being posted every second, the stability of your pattern will definitely increase your chances of engagement. So, try scheduling a post for at least once a week and on a specific day. For example, you can make a post on LinkedIn every Wednesday at 10am, after a few posting your followers will start looking for you. However, if you prove to be unreliable or inconsistent with your post, it will not matter how interesting your post is, your audience will just lose interest.

Tips for Smart Posting: Links, Tags and Hashtags

Link to your Blog

Adding a link to your full article or content in your post is a simple but effective way to direct your audience or client to your website. Yes, your post is enough to grab your audience’s attention which is what you want, but including the link is the following up step that gives them access to your website. The idea is to bring the viewers on your website where they can read the full article, browse relating content or just have access to your overall website. The bottom line, adding a link that leads to your website in your post is handing potential clients a roadmap to your business.

Tags

Tagging is a fantastic way to widen your network and give credit to your collaborating partners. Let’s say you are a bakery and you collaborated with a printer to make a flier, or you participated in their event. When sharing the flier or images on your social media, you can tag the printer in the post. The printery will be notified of your post and your content will be shared with their group. It might seem simple but what you’re actually doing is showcasing/ marketing your business to a whole new group while also acknowledging the work of the printer. On most social media platforms, you can use the “@” to tag someone in your post.

Hashtags

Hashtags (#) are used to group posts according to their content. It’s a great way to connect with likeminded people and promote your ideas. Hashtags also help users and the algorithm when searching for specific topics. So, let’s say you attended a business conference and made a post with a hashtag (#businessconference2022). Your post is visible to all your followers but now it's also visible within a group of business conferences in 2022. You are exposing your content to new people and possibilities.

Now that we have a foundation, let's move to the specifics.

Customizing Posts to Optimize Response

LinkedIn

As mentioned before, LinkedIn is used mostly by professionals and people searching for resources and opportunities for networking, therefore it’s important that you keep that in mind when creating your post. How can your content create opportunities? Well, people are eager to learn, and you can create opportunities for that through storytelling. Your readers need to feel engaged in your post and must leave believing that they learnt something new. A LinkedIn post can be long so if you have articles or videos to share, feel free to first show the connection or the relevance of your content before dropping the link at the bottom of the post. This way your audience has an idea of your content even if they don’t have the time to read the article or have the option to use the link to learn more if they're interested. Remember no one is obligated to review your content but rather it’s your responsibility to create authentic content that engages your readers. 

Sample post for LinkedIn: With the right approach, any business can be a social media expert. Smart Posting for Small Businesses; link; @ On Startups - The Community For Entrepreneurs @ Long Island Business @ Long Island Marketing Networking Group #MakeSmallBig #smallbusiness #socialmediamarketing

Facebook

Before you ask, yes, people still use Facebook. It’s actually a great way to make lasting connections and build community. Facebook is one place where people go to sit, scroll and take it all in. It’s where you will find the longest written post. Your audience here is more of a community looking to connect with your stories and ideas. You can share links but it's most effective here to also share your unique voice and give your audience the opportunity to see the behind the scenes of your business and your authentic self. Engage in the comments and try to foster a relationship with your audience.

Sample post for Facebook: Social media is no longer a photo hub for younger people, it is an effective marketing tool that puts the power of advertising in each individual business. Small business has the opportunity to directly connect with the communities they serve and here is how it starts. link; @ On Startups - The Community For Entrepreneurs @ Long Island Business @ Long Island Marketing Networking Group #MakeSmallBig #smallbusiness #socialmediamarketing

Instagram

Know the old saying a picture tells a thousand words? Well, that’s all you need to understand when it comes to Instagram. Instagram is fast paced and visual centered. It promotes storytelling through short videos and images. Alternatively, some people use live streaming for longer posts and engaging with others but that is usually after they develop a fan base or followers. The bottom line is that most effective posts on Instagram have 1-3 lines of the content max. They allow their visuals to do all the talking. So, if you want to send a message across Instagram, select a loud image with a two-sentence description, a few tags, and hashtags and just post. The aim is to grab your audience’s attention and send them looking for you.

Sample post for Instagram: Post Smart with social posting tips for small businesses. link; @ On Startups - The Community For Entrepreneurs @ Long Island Business @ Long Island Marketing Networking Group #MakeSmallBig #smallbusiness #socialmediamarketing

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Social media is an interesting way of connecting with people. It can seem complicated at first but with a little practice and time you’ll get the hang of it. These tips are not set in stone, but they will help as you start or build your social media presence.