{"id":9962,"date":"2021-11-08T12:38:16","date_gmt":"2021-11-08T12:38:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/?p=9962"},"modified":"2023-06-28T13:24:12","modified_gmt":"2023-06-28T13:24:12","slug":"how-to-use-social-media-for-a-small-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/how-to-use-social-media-for-a-small-business","title":{"rendered":"How To : Use Social Media For a Small Business"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In today\u2019s digital-first world, the task of being seen and heard is as challenging as ever. Every day, a newer development is surpassing existing trends, and for business owners &#8211; staying in the loop of things is the only way forward. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As businesses across the globe continue to set out on their mission to expand their visibility, social media is one phenomenon that has seemingly come to everyone\u2019s rescue. With its accessibility, reach and a constant presence at the back of all our phones &#8211; the medium has evolved brilliantly since its inception. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At present, the active global social media population stands at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/datareportal.com\/social-media-users\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4.55 billion.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This suggests that 9 out of 10 internet users today are active on social media. Out of this, some of the key players in the sphere of social media consumption remain Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These social giants have made next to anything possible with a single tap &#8211; be it mobile shopping, setting up a business, or enabling brand owners to expand their online presence across wider channels. Social platforms have not only made it easier for audiences to find and interact better with brands, but also brands to find better ways to keep their customers engaged. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s no more an overwhelming task to market yourself creatively as a business, and do something new each day. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coming to small businesses, social media works as a great enabler towards building more active, long-standing equations with customers. The medium not only lets you represent yourself better, it has now made way for your customers to shop directly through your social channels. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gone are the days when it required a team of marketing professionals for brands to reach out to their audience. The ease-of-use and ever growing scope of social media has empowered businesses of any size to carve their own niche. Now anyone can open up an account, create content and start selling their products too &#8211; all on their mobile phones. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, the question remains &#8211; is that all there is to social media?<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The straight answer is no, absolutely not. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s a lot to be learnt and unlearnt when setting out on social media. Old tricks from the hat need to go, and the space to learn something new must always be created.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, we\u2019ve listed down a bunch of helpful tips and tricks for small businesses, or businesses of any size for that matter &#8211; to win big on social media. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read ahead to learn more!<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"section_points-bg-box\">\n<h3 style=\"font-weight: bold;\">What you will learn in this article:<\/h3>\n<p><a class=\"prev\" href=\"#tip1\">1.\u00a0 Start with a plan.<\/a><br \/>\n<a class=\"prev\" href=\"#tip2\">2.\u00a0 Get to know your audience.<\/a><br \/>\n<a class=\"prev\" href=\"#tip3\">3.\u00a0 Quality vs. Quantity. Who&#8217;s the winner?<\/a><br \/>\n<a class=\"prev\" href=\"#tip4\">4.\u00a0 Why consistency matters.<\/a><br \/>\n<a class=\"prev\" href=\"#tip5\">5.\u00a0 Track, assess and adapt.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h4><b><br \/>\nStart with a Plan &#8211;<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"tip1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-9968 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/7.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2245\" height=\"1587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/7.png 2245w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/7-300x212.png 300w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/7-1024x724.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/7-768x543.png 768w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/7-1536x1086.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/7-2048x1448.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2245px) 100vw, 2245px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First things first, always start with the groundwork.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A good social media outlay requires you to look inwards and decide on what the problem areas of your brand are &#8211; whether it\u2019s inconsistency, or an ill-timed campaign, or the quality of your content &#8211; it\u2019s important to see what you\u2019re missing out on before you start afresh. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\nSocial media is an ever-evolving game, and the one trick that doesn\u2019t go old here is to keep adapting to the changes. Whatever your social media planner may look like &#8211; it should be just as flexible too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it\u2019s a task to stand out on socials, making the big leap isn\u2019t as tough as it sounds. The task is to capitalize on the right kind of content at the right time. Planning your content in advance and creating a schedule beforehand only makes the task easier. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a plan that highlights exactly what you want to achieve through your social media channels makes it easier for you to achieve your goals. A well-thought plan also lets you save time and efforts and channel them in the right direction.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you set out with elaborate content plans, start by having clarity on what you\u2019re trying to achieve through your social media presence in the first place.<br \/>\n<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it better visibility? A wider reach? More followers? Or simply a more open-ended way to express your brand?<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be clear with your goals. <\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Know who you\u2019re conversing with &#8211;<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"tip2\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-9970 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/8.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2245\" height=\"1587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/8.png 2245w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/8-300x212.png 300w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/8-1024x724.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/8-768x543.png 768w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/8-1536x1086.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/8-2048x1448.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2245px) 100vw, 2245px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you start posting away, have you given thought to who your audience really is? Who are you posting for? What\u2019s your content doing for them? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it solving a purpose, or is it simply entertaining? Is there a way in which you can do both? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you decide on the quality of your content, you need to make sure you know your audience. Their likes-dislikes, what they\u2019re looking for out of your content, and if they\u2019re actually even paying attention. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next, when you set out to converse with your audiences through social media &#8211; be sure to strike conversations that make a difference.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It could be through something informative, or entertaining, or simply inquisitive &#8211; but make it a point to make your social posts meaningful. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every brand\/ individual who\u2019s mastered the game of social media knows that they\u2019re catering to a certain niche of audiences, and they can\u2019t be everything to everyone. Every brand picks it\u2019s own audience &#8211; which is a great practice in order to set yourself apart from everyone else. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s a fair chance that your content is of great quality, but it\u2019s not getting across to the right people &#8211; which is a waste of time and effort. What can you do about it? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><br \/>\n<b>Here\u2019s some pointers that can help you identify your audience behaviors better<\/b> <b>:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>1. Identify buyer personas.<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating buyer personas is a great way to understand your customer base better. This can be done by putting in the research into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/psychology-marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">identifying your buyer\u2019s psychology<\/a> and demographics.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like &#8211; age, income group, likes\/dislikes, spending patterns etc. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your analytics and campaign metrics are key to understanding these patterns better, and then devising content in a way that addresses your audience\u2019s pain points. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>2. Find out where your audiences spend most of their time online.<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The next step is to study which social channels are being most used by your audiences. Currently, a better part of Instagram\u2019s active user base is dominated by the younger lot. Conversely, Facebook has more of a middle-aged and older audience. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find out who you\u2019re targeting, and then see which social media platform they\u2019re most active on. Doing this helps you direct your content better &#8211; to the right people, across the right places. <\/span><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b>3. Conduct polls and surveys.<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conducting polls and surveys is a time-trusted way to get to know your audience better. It\u2019s straightforward, it\u2019s direct, and it gives you clear answers, not pointers that you need to connect. <\/span><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These surveys help you gain a better insight into who your customers are, and what kind of content they consume on social media.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Quality vs. Quantity : Who\u2019s the winner?<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"tip3\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-9971 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2245\" height=\"1587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9.png 2245w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9-300x212.png 300w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9-1024x724.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9-768x543.png 768w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9-1536x1086.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9-2048x1448.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2245px) 100vw, 2245px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of the rat race about making it big on social media is made to be about who\u2019s posting more than the rest. In the midst of all this, what often gets left behind is good quality content. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consistency and posting at regular intervals is important, but what\u2019s even more important is creating content that\u2019s actually meaningful. Content that compels your audiences to interact with your brand. Content that legitimately speaks for your business. And of course, content that people can connect with.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In recent times, it&#8217;s observed that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightlocal.com\/research\/local-consumer-review-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">93% of customers<\/a> use the internet to find out about a brand. How does one make sure that a fair share of this inflow is directed towards your brand as well?<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Put in the research, collaborate with reliable content creators or local influencers, and don\u2019t be afraid to innovate. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Video-based content, which is seeing an all-time rise is a great way to promote your brand and drive better engagement.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the long-term, good quality content fetches better results than simply posting more content. After all, posting after posting doesn\u2019t get you anywhere &#8211; unless it\u2019s actually speaking to an audience. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">User-generated content like online reviews, guest posts and even testimonials is another great way to put up better content on your social channels. This also legitimizes your business. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People trust content that\u2019s created by people like them. It helps them develop trust in your brand, and ultimately also boosts your brand salience.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media let\u2019s you get impersonal with your followers, something that most other marketing channels don\u2019t. It\u2019s a more open-ended space for expression, so make good use of it. Experiment with new ways, opt for new methods and explore better facets to represent your brand with content each time. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<b>To make the task a bit easier, ask yourself these<\/b> <b>:<\/b><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Does your content grab attention?<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Did people share it?<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Did it stir discussions?<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Did it generate any leads? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Is it entertaining? Informative? Or both?<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Stay Consistent &#8211;<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"tip4\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-9972 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/10.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2245\" height=\"1587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/10.png 2245w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/10-300x212.png 300w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/10-1024x724.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/10-768x543.png 768w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/10-1536x1086.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/10-2048x1448.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2245px) 100vw, 2245px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Staying consistent through the process of social media posting is key to staying ahead of your game. Consistent posting makes your audience believe that you take your brand seriously, and it compels them to follow suit too. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good quality content, coupled with a regular streak of posting across your social media handles is a surefire way to improve your engagement, as well as boost your reach. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social platforms are prone to constant shifts &#8211; in terms of changing trends and newer ways to share and create content. It\u2019s not just important, but necessary to keep up.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s just as important while posting on social media is to be in the know of market trends and what\u2019s helping brands connect with their audiences better. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consistency isn\u2019t just about robotically posting &#8211; day in and out. It\u2019s more about finding a systematic way to be seen and heard. If you post regularly but don\u2019t really post anything that makes a difference, or informs, or entertains even &#8211; it isn\u2019t worth it. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scheduling your social media content is a sure-shot way to stay up to the mark with your posts. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start by making a weekly schedule that helps you stay on track with your short term goals. And then create space for monthly planners &#8211; to keep yourself in the know of the bigger picture.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a pre-planned schedule makes it easier for you to not just stay ahead of the game, but also implement better strategies along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Track, Assess and Adapt &#8211;<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"tip5\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-9973 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/11.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2245\" height=\"1587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/11.png 2245w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/11-300x212.png 300w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/11-1024x724.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/11-768x543.png 768w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/11-1536x1086.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/11-2048x1448.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2245px) 100vw, 2245px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The final step to make sure your social presence is shining through is to assess the results of it. There are several ways to assess what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not. One of them is the A\/B testing method &#8211; which gives you a good estimate of exactly which tools are working in your favour, and which aren\u2019t. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another simple way to track and make an assessment of how you\u2019re performing would be to log into your in-app analytics. You can tap into the performance metrics using Instagram Business, Facebook Business,\u00a0 or any other social media app that you\u2019re promoting your brand on. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key is to capitalize on key social media channels &#8211; not to overdo it. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The central purpose of an assessment is to get an accurate measure of where you\u2019re standing.\u00a0 And also to know how much of your social media game plan is actually yielding results. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conversely, this also gives you an insight into what\u2019s not working for you, and needs to be replaced by something better. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hootsuite.com\/social-media-metrics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">multiple metrics<\/a> that can help you measure your performance. But before you set out with the process of it, make sure you know what exactly it is that you want to measure in the first place. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try introducing two different kinds of posts on your social channels &#8211; and then see which one is getting a better engagement than the other. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This method not only lets you compare, but also see in hindsight &#8211; the kind of posts your audiences are looking for. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being social isn\u2019t as much about simply achieving an improved follower count as it is about better representing your brand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Another way to find out if your followers are actually able to connect with your brand is by seeing your engagement ratio &#8211; likes, comments, shares, re-posts. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<b><br \/>\n4 social media metrics you should measure:<\/b><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>1. Consumption Metrics : <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many people interacted with your content?<br \/>\n<\/span><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b>2. Sharing Metrics : <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What were the number of shares, re-shares and re-posts on your content?<br \/>\n<\/span><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b>3. Lead Generation Metrics : <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did the content usher in any form submissions or referrals?<br \/>\n<\/span><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b>4. Sales Metrics : <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How much money did you make out of it?<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Benefits of Social Media for Small Businesses :<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><b><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>1.<\/strong> It\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/small-business-marketing-strategies-shoestring-budget\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">budget-friendly<\/a>, and let&#8217;s you market with minimal spending.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>2.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Increases brand awareness and visibility. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>3. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It enables you to reach multiple channels at once.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>4. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps you in getting to know your audience better.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>5.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Improves your website traffic and SEO ranking.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Summing up &#8211;<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To wrap up, the workings of social media are constantly evolving and no one tactic works for everyone. As a small business owner, how you make the best out of your social media presence truly depends on how you best speak to your audiences.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your social media performance also banks on how you choose to reflect your brand values through your social channels, and how authentic you stay in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Thanks for reading!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In today\u2019s digital-first world, the task of being seen and heard is as challenging as ever. Every day, a newer development is surpassing existing trends, and for business owners &#8211; staying in the loop of things is the only way forward. As businesses across the globe continue to set out on their mission to expand &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/how-to-use-social-media-for-a-small-business\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">How To : Use Social Media For a Small Business<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":9964,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[565],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-media-marketing"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How To : Use Social Media For a Small Business - Blog | QeRetail<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How To : Use Social Media For a Small Business\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qeretail.com\/blog\/how-to-use-social-media-for-a-small-business\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How To : Use Social Media For a Small Business - 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