Social media strategies for small business

Most business have a website. But do most businesses have an online marketing campaign? Using social media to boost business is almost as crucial these days as having a website with excellent keywords which ranks on the first page of Google. Some businesses have cottoned on to the importance of a social media strategy, using Facebook and Twitter to generate leads and boost search engine optimisation and ultimately business.

Lets take a look at some key aspects of any business social media strategy:

• Stand out: For Facebook, make a business page that stands out from the rest. There are free software programs available to do this in a very easy, quick way.

• Interact: Is there any other marketing medium, online or otherwise which allows a business to interact with people in a personal level as much as Facebook and Twitter? If people are taking the time to post on your page then comment back to them on a personal level. At least until it gets a bit much to do this. Thank them for their time.

• Build trust: Using social media for effective online marketing is all about trust marketing. As a small business with a website you must understand whattrust marketing is all about and use it on a daily basis.

• Don't flog a product/service: The opposite of trust marketing is using social media to continually flog and product or service. This will put most people off. Use social media to promote your expertise and business will come.

• For Twitter: Post often and post interesting content. Again, don't spam. Use Twitter links and hashtags to build your industry expertise and the followers soon generate.

• Google+: This is Google's venture into social media. They have tried and failed before at this type of platform but perhaps Google+ might just work. Either way, as a small business it is probably a good time to learn something about Google+ as no one would have predicted the online marketing power of Facebook & Twitter 10 years ago, now look.

• Be current: Keep up to date with your industry and post links to reports and websites which will demonstrate that you are current in the industry and on top of trends and issues that are impacting. People are more likely to buy from those that they know are in the know.

• Use images: Use social media to post interesting images of you and your staff, perhaps talking at a speaking event (good for credibility) or just having fun. Images boost SEO if used wisely.

There are so many ways that social media can be used to promote a small business. Keen to know more social media strategies for powerful online marketing?