Social media is not only a great place to advertising your products, but it’s also one of the best ways to develop customer relationships and build your brand. The possibilities are endless when it comes to social media marketing, so if you aren’t already using it, you certainly should be! Here are a few examples of how to use social media to give your small business a boost.

Run a competition

If you want to generate a bit of hype around your business or let people know about a new product launch, running a competition on Facebook (amongst others) is a great way to spread the word. Most companies will give away a free product or offer a complimentary service to the “chosen at random” winner.

Ask your followers to share your post and encourage them to comment on your page. You might be surprised at how many new followers you can gain from one simple competition.

Collaborate with influencers

It’s been suggested that people in their twenties are far more likely to buy something endorsed by their favorite YouTube or Instagram star. That’s why you should never underestimate the power of the social media influencer. Whilst you can try and make contact with influencers or their agents directly, using companies like Collabstr makes the whole process far quicker and a lot easier. For a fee, you will be given access to a host of influencers who will promote your products online. If one of your products goes viral, it could boost your business in ways you never imagined.

Direct shopping

A shop feature is available on many social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. Customers are more likely to purchase if they can do so immediately, so it is an option that could boost your sales rates. As well as images of your products, you can add descriptions and prices and show any pricing discounts. Impulse buys are more likely when the user experience is simple and quick, so if you don’t already have that shop button enabled, you might be missing a trick!

Increased customer service 

One of the great things about social media is that you can implement fairly quick response times to customers. If a customer messages you via Messenger, for example, an automated reply can be sent instantly, and a notification sent to your phone. Customers are far more likely to give repeat business to companies who provide good customer service, so take advantage of this when you can.

Ask for feedback

Where possible, ask customers to leave a review on your social media platforms. The more positive reviews you obtain, the more chance of new customers feeling content to purchase from you. If you are struggling to get customers to leave a review, consider popping a reminder card in with their order. A good review is worth its weight in gold, and feedback regardless of whether it is positive or negative allows you to improve and make changes within your business where necessary.